Biodiesel Production from Non-Edible Beauty Leaf ( Calophyllum inophyllum ) Oil: Process Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Mohammad I. Jahirul, Wenyong Koh, Richard J. Brown, Wijitha Senadeera, Ian O'Hara and Lalehvash Moghaddam
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Mohammad I. Jahirul: Biofuel Engine Research Facility (BERF), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4000, Australia
Wenyong Koh: Biofuel Engine Research Facility (BERF), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4000, Australia
Richard J. Brown: Biofuel Engine Research Facility (BERF), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4000, Australia
Wijitha Senadeera: Biofuel Engine Research Facility (BERF), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4000, Australia
Ian O'Hara: Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities (CTCB), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4000, Australia
Lalehvash Moghaddam: Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities (CTCB), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4000, Australia

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: In recent years, the beauty leaf plant ( Calophyllum Inophyllum ) is being considered as a potential 2nd generation biodiesel source due to high seed oil content, high fruit production rate, simple cultivation and ability to grow in a wide range of climate conditions. However, however, due to the high free fatty acid (FFA) content in this oil, the potential of this biodiesel feedstock is still unrealized, and little research has been undertaken on it. In this study, transesterification of beauty leaf oil to produce biodiesel has been investigated. A two-step biodiesel conversion method consisting of acid catalysed pre-esterification and alkali catalysed transesterification has been utilized. The three main factors that drive the biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester (FAME)) conversion from vegetable oil (triglycerides) were studied using response surface methodology (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken experimental design. The factors considered in this study were catalyst concentration, methanol to oil molar ratio and reaction temperature. Linear and full quadratic regression models were developed to predict FFA and FAME concentration and to optimize the reaction conditions. The significance of these factors and their interaction in both stages was determined using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The reaction conditions for the largest reduction in FFA concentration for acid catalysed pre-esterification was 30:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 10% (w/w) sulfuric acid catalyst loading and 75 °C reaction temperature. In the alkali catalysed transesterification process 7.5:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 1% (w/w) sodium methoxide catalyst loading and 55 °C reaction temperature were found to result in the highest FAME conversion. The good agreement between model outputs and experimental results demonstrated that this methodology may be useful for industrial process optimization for biodiesel production from beauty leaf oil and possibly other industrial processes as well.

Keywords: biodiesel; beauty leaf; transesterification; response surface methodology (RSM) (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: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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