Application of Response Surface Methodology for Optimization of Biodiesel Production by Transesterification of Hydnocarpus Wightiana seed oil with Methanol

Abstract

Response surface method and Central Composite design was used in order to optimize the process parameters of transesterification reaction during the production of biodiesel from Hydnocarpus Wightiana seed oil.  Investigation of effect of reaction time, methanol quantity and catalyst concentration on transesterification reaction was done. Prediction of biodiesel yield was done by generating a quadratic model by keeping temperature of reaction constant (55^oC to 60^oC) for all the experiments. of the volume of oil The maximum yield of 87.53%  predicted by model for optimized parameters of duration of reaction (75 minutes), methanol quantity (35% volume of oil) and alkaline catalyst concentration (0.46% weight of oil). The maximum experimental yield of 93.6% was obtained for same parameters