Upgrading of Waste Cooking Oil via Transesterification and Catalytic Hydrotreatment Process

Renewable biofuels, such as biodiesel produced from used cooking oil (WCO), offer an affordable, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fuels. The main aim of this work is to produce biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO), a sustainable alternative to address the challenges associated with renewable energy and resource efficiency. Optimal conditions for biodiesel production were identified, revealing that a 6:1 methanol-to-oil ratio, 1.0 wt.% sodium hydroxide, 60°C, and 60-minute reaction time yielded the highest output in a single-step transesterification process. To enhance the quality of second-generation biodiesel by converting it into more stable hydrocarbon fuels using the hydrodeoxygenation process with the help of MoS2 and NiMoS2 catalysts that were hydrothermally synthesized to demonstrate their effectiveness in improving biodiesel production in the hydrotreatment process. Renewable biodiesel produced through deoxygenation (DO) pathways has a high concentration of linear hydrocarbons(paraffins) and low levels of oxygen and nitrogen. To ensure the quality of the trans-esterified, renewable biodiesel, its properties were analyzed and compared using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This paper compares conventional and advanced methods for producing biodiesel, with a focus on the importance of sustainability and efficiency in fuel production.