The Effects of Process Parameters on Biodiesel Production from Jansa Seed Oil using Lithium-Doped CaO and MgO as Catalysts

Abstract

This study presents process parameters analysis on biodiesel production from jansa seed oil using transesterification process. Following the quest to achieve improved economic viability and clean production process for biodiesel, lithium ion from lithium carbonate was applied to improve the catalytic properties of calcium oxide and magnesium oxide for biodiesel production. Oil produced from jansa seed was characterized to determine its suitability for biodiesel production. Based on the characterization, an appreciable oil weight or yield of 38.09% was produced. Also, 0.493mgKOH/kg free fatty acid (FFA) content, 205.923 gKOH/kg saponification value and 99.95% ester value which specified its great tendency to be converted into methyl ester (biodiesel) were obtained. Li-CaO and Li-MgO catalysts were prepared in diverse concentrations for use in biodiesel production. Li-CaO-1.50 and Li-MgO-1.50 gave the optimal yield of 76 and 83% volume of biodiesel. The Free fatty acid (FFA) value recorded for the jansa seed oil was 0.493 mgKOH/kg with a corresponding acid value of 0.986 mgKOH/kg which was expected for a good bio-oil sample for biodiesel production. The catalyst were varied for biodiesel production and among the catalysts, the variants (CaO and MgO) doped with 1.5 wt% lithium gave the best biodiesel yield of 76.0 and 83.00 % by volume respectively. These were applied to study the effects of other process parameters (reaction time, reaction temperature, agitation speed, and methanol to oil molal ratio) and other optimal yield of biodiesel were obtained at 2hrs reaction time, 60⁰ reaction temperature, 400rpm agitation speed and alchohol/sample mole ratio of 10:1. Overall, the results were found to meet standard properties for biodiesel. At such, Li-CaO, Li-MgO, other similar materials should be adopted as catalyst for the production of biodiesel to bridge the energy gaps.