Abstract

Abdulmajid Alshaibani^* and Zahira Yaakob

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/300120

Hydrogenation of vegetable oils is a heterogeneous process where the process factors influence the conversion and selectivity. A Statistical study was performed on a sunflower oil (SFO) hydrogenation process using Pd-B/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst to study the effect of the process factors, including temperature, hydrogen pressure, agitation, catalyst dose and reaction time on the iodine value and trans fatty acid content of hydrogenated SFO. It was found that each factor has a noticeable effect on the iodine value and trans fatty acid content of hydrogenated SFO. The study was also aimed to find out the optimum values for the hydrogenation factors which are capable to decline the IV to 70 (g iodine per 100 g oil) as well as produce a minimum trans fatty acid content of the hydrogenated SFO. The optimum values were found to be 431 K, 1000 kPa, 1000 kPa, 0.29 % and 42.2 min for the temperature, hydrogen pressure, agitation, catalyst dose and reaction time respectively.

Iodine Value; Trans fatty acids

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