In this study, the noncatalytic production of ethyl esters from used frying oil (UFO) in a continuous process was evaluated under supercritical conditions. Experiments were performed with the objective of evaluating the effect of the addition of water, a co-solvent (n-hexane), and ethyl esters to the reaction medium, applying different temperatures and keeping the oil:ethanol mass ratio (1:1), pressure (20 MPa), and residence time (40 min) fixed. The results demonstrated that the formation of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) is favored at higher temperatures. The addition of 5 wt % water increased the yield, while no significant effect (p > 0.05) was noted with the addition of 10 wt % water. The addition of cosolvent and ethyl esters in the range investigated plays a vital role in maximizing the FAEE yields for most conditions studied. The presence of water and cosolvent reduced the degree of fatty acids decomposition, while the addition of ethyl esters increased this parameter. The effect of the residence time was investigated applying the best conditions observed and good reaction yields (>85 wt %) were achieved under different conditions.

The esterification of oleic acid in a continuous catalyst-free process using compressed ethanol was investigated in the present study. Experiments were performed in a tubular reactor and variables investigated were temperature, pressure, and oleic acid to ethanol molar ratio for different residence time. Results demonstrated that temperature, in the range of 473 K to 573 K, and pressure had a positive effect on fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) production. In the experimental range investigated, high conversions can be obtained at low ethanol concentrations in the reaction medium and it was observed that oleic acid to ethanol molar ratios greater than 1 : 6 show no significant increase in conversion. Nonnegligible reaction conversions (>90%) were achieved at 573 K, 20 MPa, oleic acid to ethanol molar ratio of 1 : 6, and 20 minutes of residence time.