Factors interactions and the modelling of biodiesel production from Jatropha curcas oil
by Ifeanyi Francis Offor; Richard Chukwuemeka Ehiri; Chihurumnanya Ola Ude
International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology (IJRET), Vol. 6, No. 2, 2015

Abstract: Renewable sources of energy such as biodiesel are attracting global attention as a result of dwindling petroleum resources, rising crude oil prices, increasing CO₂ emissions and global warming. Jatropha curcas oil (JCO) is a plant-based non-edible feedstock that can be modified in order to enhance its use as transport fuel. A two-level-three-factor central composite design (CCD) was employed in base catalysed transesterification reaction requiring 16 experiments where reaction time (X₁), catalyst concentration (X₂) and methanol to oil ratio (X₃) were used as variables to optimise the biodiesel yield using response surface methodology (RSM). A modified statistical model comprising of all significant factors and interactions (P < 0.0001) obtained by multiple regressions predicted that the highest yield of JCO-based biodiesel was 99.17% at the following optimised values: X₁ = 1.8 hrs, X₂ = 1% and X₃ = 5:3:1. Also, there were significant interactions between X₁, X₂ and X₂, X₃. Gas chromatographic analysis of the JCO-biodiesel identified caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, myristoleic and oleic acids as fatty acid components. The model has been found to describe the experimental range studied adequately.

Online publication date: Sat, 25-Apr-2015

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