OPTIMIZATION OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM KHAYA SENEGALENSIS OIL USING HETEROGENEOUS CATALYST

Abstract

Global concerned for an ecofriendly environment and upholding minimal biodiesel production cost simultaneously has prompted the use of organic wastes as heterogeneous catalyst for its production. In this work, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the production of biodiesel through a two-step transesterification process. The extracted Khaya senegalensis oil (KSO) possessed a high free fatty acid (FFA) value of 3.10 % which was reduced to 0.329 % using H2SO4 processed at 60 min reaction time, 60 ˚C temperature and a methanol to oil ratio of 2.25:1 (mol/mol). A calcined plantain peels (CPP) heterogeneous catalyst produced at 700 ˚C for 3.5 h was characterized and was found to contain potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese and phosphorus which was used for the transesterification to obtain Khaya senegalensis oil methyl esters (KSOME). A 97.98 wt% optimal KSOME yield was attained from a central composite design (CCD) using a quadratic model at a methanol to oil ratio of 9:1 (vol/vol), 2.5 (wt%) catalyst loading, 40 min reaction time and 65 °C constant temperature condition which was validated at 95.875 (wt%). KSOME produced met the international ASTM D6751 and DIN EN 14214 biodiesel standard specification hence, it is projected a good prospect for biodiesel production.