An Improvement in Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil by Applying Thought Multi-Response Surface Methodology Using Desirability Functions

Marina Corral Bobadilla, Rubén Lostado Lorza, Rubén Escribano García, Fátima Somovilla Gómez and Eliseo P. Vergara González
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Marina Corral Bobadilla: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Rubén Lostado Lorza: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Rubén Escribano García: Built Environment and Engineering, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HB, UK
Fátima Somovilla Gómez: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Eliseo P. Vergara González: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: The exhaustion of natural resources has increased petroleum prices and the environmental impact of oil has stimulated the search for an alternative source of energy such as biodiesel. Waste cooking oil is a potential replacement for vegetable oils in the production of biodiesel. Biodiesel is synthesized by direct transesterification of vegetable oils, which is controlled by several inputs or process variables, including the dosage of catalyst, process temperature, mixing speed, mixing time, humidity and impurities of waste cooking oil that was studied in this case. Yield, turbidity, density, viscosity and higher heating value are considered as outputs. This paper used multi-response surface methodology (MRS) with desirability functions to find the best combination of input variables used in the transesterification reactions to improve the production of biodiesel. In this case, several biodiesel optimization scenarios have been proposed. They are based on a desire to improve the biodiesel yield and the higher heating value, while decreasing the viscosity, density and turbidity. The results demonstrated that, although waste cooking oil was collected from various sources, the dosage of catalyst is one of the most important variables in the yield of biodiesel production, whereas the viscosity obtained was similar in all samples of the biodiesel that was studied.

Keywords: biodiesel; waste cooking oil; catalysis; multi-response surface methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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