Title: Sustainable biodiesel production from waste cooking oil: a thermodynamic study with process simulation and optimisation

Authors: Md Nazeem Khan; Mohammad Zunaid; Amit Pal

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi – 110042, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi – 110042, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi – 110042, India

Abstract: This research conducts a comprehensive simulation and optimisation of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil using DWSIM® software, involving acid pretreatment with sulphuric acid to lower free fatty acids and subsequent base-catalysed transesterification with potassium hydroxide. The study investigated various operational parameters, and their impacts on yield, exergetic efficiency, and exergy destruction, identifying optimal conditions that achieved a maximum yield of 90.85%. The investigation into thermodynamic principles provided valuable insights into system efficiency, revealing energy and exergy efficiencies of 92.97% and 91.02%, respectively. Furthermore, employing response surface methodology for optimisation revealed the ideal conditions, resulting in a yield of 92.88%.

Keywords: biodiesel production; waste cooking oil; thermodynamic analysis; DWSIM simulation; optimisation; potassium hydroxide.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2026.151874

International Journal of Exergy, 2026 Vol.49 No.2, pp.79 - 95

Received: 19 Jun 2025
Accepted: 14 Sep 2025
Published online: 24 Feb 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article