Comparison of Optimization Results of RSM Approaches for Transesterification of Waste Cooking Oil Using Microwave-Assisted Method Catalyzed by CaO

Abstract

The present study describes the comparison of optimization process parameters determined by employing response surface methodology (RSM)-based full factor design (FFD) and Box-Behnken design (BBD) methods for synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil. Using experimental yield values, quadratic polynomial equations were obtained. Parameters considered to maximize the yield are: MeOH: oil molar ratio (A), CaO quantity (B), reaction interval (C), for the optimization process. The consequence of these variables on biodiesel yield was analyzed by various plots. From perturbation plots, the analysis showed that the effect of catalyst quantity is highly influential on biodiesel yield than the remaining two parameters. By employing FFD and BBD methods, the determined optimum results for A are 9.6:1 and 9.33:1, for B are 1.33 (w/w %) and 1.37(w/w %), for C are 9.7 min and 9.28 min, and the corresponding yield is 90.41% and 90.49%, respectively. Based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) and various statistical plots, BBD method will prefer over FFD method.