March 28, 2024
Majid Mohadesi

Majid Mohadesi

Academic rank: Associate professor
Address: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engeenring, Kermanshah University of Technology (KUT), Imam Khomeini Highway, Kermanshah, Iran
Education: Ph.D in Chemical Engineering
Phone: 083-38305000 (1167, 1025)
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering

Research

Title
Optimization of biodiesel production process in a continuous microchannel using response surface methodology
Type Article
Keywords
Heterogeneous Catalyst, Microchannel, Rapeseed Oil, Biodiesel, Response Surface Methodology
Researchers Majid Mohadesi، Babak Aghel، Mohammad Hassan Khademi، sasan sahraee

Abstract

We assessed the biodiesel production process in a continuous microchannel through preparation of a heterogeneous catalyst (CaO/MgO) from demineralized water plant sediment. This mixed oxide catalyst was used for transesterification of rapeseed oil as feedstock by methanol to produce biodiesel fuel at various conditions. A microchannel, utilized as a novel reactor, was applied to convert rapeseed oil into biodiesel in multiple steps. The effects of the process variables, such as catalyst concentration, methanol to oil volume ratio, n-hexane to oil volume ratio, and reaction temperature on the purity of biodiesel, were carefully investigated. Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to obtain the maximum purity of biodiesel response surface methodology. The optimum condition for the production of biodiesel was the following: catalyst concentration of 7.875 wt%, methanol to oil volume ratio of 1.75 : 3, n-hexane to oil volume ratio of 0.575 : 1, and reaction temperature of 70 oC.