Preliminary Design Of Biodiesel Plant From Waste Cooking Oil With Capacity Of 45,000 Ton/year

Abstract

Biodiesel is a renewable biofuel that can be synthesized through the transesterification of triglycerides with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. It is characterized by its biodegradable nature, low toxicity, and favorable environmental impact compared to fossil-based diesel. Biodiesel is widely applied as an alternative fuel in the transportation sector, as well as in industrial and agricultural machinery. The development of a biodiesel production plant in Indonesia is expected to reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels while utilizing waste cooking oil as a primary raw material, especially given its abundant availability from restaurants and food industries in the Indramayu region. The biodiesel plant is planned to be operational by the year 2028 with a production capacity of 45,000 tons/year and will be located in Indramayu, West Java, covering a total area of 48290 m2. The plant will operate for 330 days per year. The production process involves two main stages: esterification of Free Fatty Acids (FFA) using sulfuric acid, followed by transesterification with methanol using sodium hydroxide as the catalyst. The plant is supported by several utility components, which include an estimated total water requirement of 128,359.916 tons/year (including a 10% overdesign), 587.285 kW of electricity, 50.976 m3/h of compressed air, and 302,316.41 liters/h of fuel oil. Based on safety and hazard assessment, the plant operation is categorized as low risk due to relatively mild operating conditions. The raw materials are readily available locally, and the chemicals involved in the process are generally considered to be manageable in terms of safety.The projected economic evaluation of the biodiesel plant yields a pre-tax profit of Rp 25,108,900,150.42, and post-tax profit of Rp 20,087,120,120.33 The economic indicators include a Break Even Point (BEP) of 47.64, Shut Down Point (SDP) of 24.93, Return on Investment (ROI) of 23.07% before tax and 18.46% after tax, Pay Out Time (POT) of 3.22 years before tax and 3.78 years after tax, and a Discounted Cash Flow Rate of Return (DCFR) of 22.87%. Based on these economic parameters, the proposed biodiesel plant with a capacity of 45,000 tons/year is considered feasible for further development and meets the criteria for establishment.