Optimization of a two-stage process for biodiesel production from shea butter using Response Surface Methodology
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Egyptian Journal of Petroleum (EGYJP). Published by Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpe.2016.11.005
Abstract
The challenges of biodiesel production from high free fatty acid (FFA) shea butter (SB)
necessitated this study. The reduction of %FFA of SB by esterification and its subsequent utilization
by transesterification for biodiesel production in a two stage process for optimization studies
was investigated using response surface methodology based on a central composite design (CCD).
Four operating conditions were investigated to reduce the %FFA of SB and increase the %yield of
shea biodiesel (SBD). The operating conditions were temperature (40–60 C), agitation speed (200–
1400 rpm), methanol (MeOH): oil mole ratio: 2:1–6:1 (w/w) for esterification and 4:1–8:1 (w/w) for
transesterification and catalyst loading: 1–2% (H2SO4, (v/v) for esterification and KOH, (w/w) for
transesterification. The significance of the parameters obtained in linear and non-linear form from
the models were determined using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimal operating conditions
that gave minimum FFA of 0.26% were 52.19 C, 200 rpm, 2:1 (w/w) and 1.5% (v/v), while
those that gave maximum yield of 92.16% SBD were 40 C, 800 rpm, 7:1 (w/w) and 1% (w/w).
The p-value of <0.0001 for each of the stages showed that the models were significant with R2
of 0.96 each. These results indicate the reproducibility of the models and showed that the RSM
is suitable to optimize the esterification and transesterification of SB for SBD production. Therefore,
RSM is a useful tool that can be employed in industrial scale production of SBD from high
FFA SB.
Description
Keywords
Esterification, Transesterification, Biodiesel, Optimization, Response surface methodology
Citation
Ajala, E.O., Aberuagba, F., Olaniyan, A.M., Ajala, M.A. & Sunmonu, M.O (2017): Optimization of a two-stage process for biodiesel production from shea butter using Response Surface Methodology. Egyptian Journal of Petroleum (EGYJP), 26: 943-955. Published by Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpe.2016.11.005