Synthesis of biodiesel from blend of seeds oil-animal fat employing agricultural wastes as base catalyst
T.F. Adepoju, H.A. Akens, Evelyn Bose Ekeinde
Abstract
This study emphasizes the use of Clarias gariepinus-Nicotiana tabacum-Elaeis guineensis oil blend for the synthesis of biodiesel using a CaO-based catalyst derived from waste cow horn and shells powder as a heterogeneous catalyst. Modelling capabilities of Response surface methodology was assessed in the production of biodiesel. A Hybrid Design was applied using reaction time (50–80 min), reaction temperature (50–80 °C), catalyst amount (2.0–5.0 %wt.), and CH3OH/OMR (1:4–1:7 v/v) as independent variables and biodiesel yield as the response. The derived catalyst was calcined at 900 °C for 3 h and was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. Statistical performance indicators showed the ratio of 2.3:1:2 of the blended oil obtained through American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity estimate produced low viscous and highly volatile blended oil. Catalyst characterization revealed 99.92% CaO-base were found in calcined derived catalyst (CDC) with high density basic site of 200 (μmole.m−2). The maximum experimental biodiesel yield of 99.20 (% wt.) at runs 11 was obtained, but the statistical optimization predicted a maximum biodiesel yield of 99.33 (wt. %) at the reaction time of 79.79 min, the reaction temperature of 79.68 °C, the catalyst amount of 5.0 (wt. %), and the CH3OH/OMR of 4.15:1, respectively. This result was validated in triplicate, and an average optimum biodiesel yield of 99.19 (%wt.) was obtained. The ANOVA analysis showed the variable factors were remarkably significant with p-value<0.05 and high R2 of 99.99%. The produced biodiesel met the European (DIN EN 14214) and American (ASTM D6751) standard specifications.