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Nwosu-Obieogu, K.
Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
Onukwuli, D. O.
Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria.
Ezeugo, J.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Uli, Nigeria.
Ude, C. N.
Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
A novel clay-doped BaCl (CD-BaCl) heterogeneous
catalyst was developed through calcinations at 600oC for four hours
and successfully applied for biodiesel production from shea butter oil. The
catalyst was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
(FT-IR), Scanning Electron Micrograph
(SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) before and after treatment to ascertain its suitability for the process.
The shea butter oil was characterized using FT-IR and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography
Mass Spectrometer) to confirm its potential for the transesterification
process. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) were
used to compare the best operating conditions; GA outperformed RSM with a
biodiesel yield (81.49%) obtained at a catalyst loading (3 wt%), methanol/molar
ratio (12:1 mol/mol), time (3 hours), temperature (50oC), and
agitation speed (208.8 rpm). The second-order polynomial model is shown in the
(Analysis of Variance) ANOVA with an R2 value of 0.9981, Adj R2
(0.9946), and Pred R2 (0.9499), demonstrating the model's
acceptance. The shea butter biodiesel produced complied with ASTM D6751
requirements. As a result, this study showed that GA is more predictive than
RSM.
Keywords: RSM, GA, shea butter, transesterification, biodiesel
https://doi.org/10.33922/j.ujet_v9i1_7
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Published
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Issue
Vol. 9 No. 1, June 2023
Article Section
GENERAL
The contents of the articles are the sole opinion of the author(s) and not of UJET.
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