A Review of Intensification Technology Hydrodynamic Cavitation in Biodiesel Production

The quest for energy is an essential aspect of industrial and economic progress. As the demand for energy rises, various sources, including coal, fossil fuels, wind, solar, nuclear, natural liquid gas etc., become necessary. Biodiesel exhibits comparable characteristics to conventional diesel oil, enabling its utilization in diesel engines without requiring substantial engine modifications. Biodiesel stands out as a potential alternative fuel due to its carbon footprint reduction and environmentally friendly qualities, such as being green, clean, renewable and biodegradable. This makes biodiesel a promising option to address the diminishing reserves of fossil fuels. This paper presents a review of the evolving hydrodynamic cavitation technology's application in the synthesis of biodiesel. The review assesses the differences between hydrodynamic cavitation and advanced hydrodynamic cavitation techniques in biodiesel production. This hydrodynamic cavitation field demonstrates the capability to achieve a biodiesel conversion of 96.5 wt.% or higher, meeting both ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. A SWOT analysis was performed to assess the efficacy of advanced hydrodynamic cavitation in biodiesel production. The insights derived from this analysis could potentially inspire future advancements in this novel intensification technology.