Biodiesel Production Yield Research Articles

The prediction of biodiesel production yield from transesterification of vegetable oils with Machine learning

Biodiesel is a renewable energy produced from transesterification of vegetable oils in the presence of various catalysts. The biodiesel production yield depends on types of feedstocks, reaction time, temperature, ratio of methanol to oil, and types of catalysts. Machine learning can be applied for prediction of biodiesel yield in a single process but the combination of biodiesel production processes, including a variety of alkali and acid catalysts, should be investigated. This work developed the modeling by using machine learning to predict the biodiesel yield of alkali catalysts and acid catalysts. The machine learning algorithms consisted of artificial neural network (ANN) and artificial neural network – particle swarm optimization (ANN-PSO). The proposed model was examined for Case I (alkali process) and Case II (combination process). For Case I with 19 input variables and a single output variable, the ANN with the trainlm algorithm and the Tansig- Tansig activation function was the most suitable model, offering the MAPE of 1.3510 and R square of 0.99272. While in Case II, the ANN with the trainbr algorithm performed the most accurately in terms of R square of 0.97229 and MAPE of 2.32145. Finally, the feature importance for Case I and Case II presented that the molar ratio of methanol to oil was the most important variable for the prediction of biodiesel yield.

Improved Biodiesel Production Yield Using Coconut Mesocarp-Based Catalyst

Improved Biodiesel Production Yield Using Coconut Mesocarp-Based Catalyst

Comparison of various machine learning techniques for modeling the heterogeneous acid-catalyzed alcoholysis process of biodiesel production from green seed canola oil

Multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms were developed using artificial intelligence, including Linear Regression (LR), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), to predict the yield of biodiesel production in an acid-catalyzed alcoholysis process using green seed canola oil. Catalyst loading, methanol-to-oil (M/O) molar ratio, and reaction time were considered as input parameters, while the yield of biodiesel production was selected as the output parameter. The performance of the developed ML models was assessed using evaluation metrics such as the coefficient of determination (R2) and the root mean squared error (RMSE). The R2 values obtained for LR, RF, DT, and KNN models were 0.80, 0.95, 0.97, and 0.84, respectively. Furthermore, the corresponding RMSE values for these models were 2.48, 1.51, 0.89, and 4.51, respectively. According to the results, the DT model exhibited superior accuracy and reliability for predicting biodiesel production compared to the other models. The values of the input variables to potentially yield the highest biodiesel output were identified through a systematic trial-and-error approach using the DT model. The results showed that a biodiesel yield of 88 % can be achieved with 5 wt% catalyst loading, a 22 M/O molar ratio, and a reaction time of 5 hours.

Transesterification of mustard oil to biodiesel using activated carbon/Fe2(MoO4)3/K2CO3 as a novel heterogeneous nanocatalyst: Box-Behnken design-based optimization and Gaussian process regression

In this study, activated carbon/Fe2(MoO4)3/K2CO3 was synthesized as a novel heterogeneous catalyst and used for the first time for biodiesel production from mustard oil. The synthesized catalyst was appraised by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX)/Map, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman analyses. The effect of operating parameters including methanol-to-mustard oil ratio (9:1–27:1), temperature (50–75 °C), catalyst concentration (1–6 wt%), and reaction time (1–6 h) on the biodiesel yield was investigated. The optimization of transesterification operating parameters through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) utilizing Box-Behnken design revealed a peak yield of 96.36 ± 0.1 %. This optimal yield was attained under the following conditions: a methanol-to-oil ratio of 21:1, a temperature of 65°C, a catalyst concentration of 4 wt%, and a reaction time of 4 hours. Furthermore, Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) was employed for the prediction of the biodiesel production yield and a satisfactory agreement was observed between the results of RSM and GPR. Reusability experiments indicated that the synthesized catalyst can be regenerated and reused in 4 transesterification reactions without experiencing a significant decrease in yield. The physical properties of biodiesel derived from mustard oil were examined, and it was observed that they were in agreement with ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that biodiesel production from mustard oil using the novel activated carbon/Fe2(MoO4)3/K2CO3 heterogeneous catalyst can be considered as a promising approach for generation of clean energy.

The sustainable prospect of biodiesel production: Transformative technologies, catalysts from bio-wastes, and techno-economic assessment

Energy is the most significant factor influencing a nation’s economic success, social advancement, and human welfare. The increasing demand for oil and other forms of energy has fuelled the need for sustainable alternative energy sources. In this context, energy-providing biofuel materials are widely considered a sustainable alternative. Biodiesel, among other biofuel materials, is currently recognized as a valuable resource for the transportation sector on a global scale. To fulfill the growing demand for biodiesel and to ensure sustainability, the biodiesel synthesis process must be expedited. Therefore, reviewing and upgrading the technological strategies for biodiesel production is vital. The current review paper summarizes recent technological advancements in the biodiesel production process and the process parameters that influence the biodiesel production yield. Also, the significance of eco-friendly biocatalysts derived from waste biomass and waste metals for enhancing biodiesel yield has been highlighted. Furthermore, a techno-economic analysis and life cycle evaluation of different biodiesels are reviewed to examine their economic viability and environmental sustainability when produced using bio-derived catalysts. Overall, it is recognized from recent improvements in biodiesel synthesis that the processes that use catalysts generated from waste sources might considerably facilitate the transition to a more sustainable and economical biodiesel production.

In silico design of multipoint mutants for enhanced performance of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase for efficient biodiesel production

BackgroundBiodiesel, an emerging sustainable and renewable clean energy, has garnered considerable attention as an alternative to fossil fuels. Although lipases are promising catalysts for biodiesel production, their efficiency in industrial-scale application still requires improvement.ResultsIn this study, a novel strategy for multi-site mutagenesis in the binding pocket was developed via FuncLib (for mutant enzyme design) and Rosetta Cartesian_ddg (for free energy calculation) to improve the reaction rate and yield of lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production. Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) with high activity and thermostability was obtained using the Pichia pastoris expression system. The specific activities of the mutants M11 and M21 (each with 5 and 4 mutations) were 1.50- and 3.10-fold higher, respectively, than those of the wild-type (wt–TLL). Their corresponding melting temperature profiles increased by 10.53 and 6.01 °C, T5015\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$T_{50}^{15}$$\\end{document} (the temperature at which the activity is reduced to 50% after 15 min incubation) increased from 60.88 to 68.46 °C and 66.30 °C, and the optimum temperatures shifted from 45 to 50 °C. After incubation in 60% methanol for 1 h, the mutants M11 and M21 retained more than 60% activity, and 45% higher activity than that of wt–TLL. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the increase in thermostability could be explained by reduced atomic fluctuation, and the improved catalytic properties were attributed to a reduced binding free energy and newly formed hydrophobic interaction. Yields of biodiesel production catalyzed by mutants M11 and M21 for 48 h at an elevated temperature (50 °C) were 94.03% and 98.56%, respectively, markedly higher than that of the wt–TLL (88.56%) at its optimal temperature (45 °C) by transesterification of soybean oil.ConclusionsAn integrating strategy was first adopted to realize the co-evolution of catalytic efficiency and thermostability of lipase. Two promising mutants M11 and M21 with excellent properties exhibited great potential for practical applications for in biodiesel production.

The effect of temperature, time, and methanol concentration on enhancing the yield of biodiesel production of castor and rapeseed seeds via the Transesterification process

The effect of temperature, time, and methanol concentration on enhancing the yield of biodiesel production of castor and rapeseed seeds via the Transesterification process

Production and optimization study of biodiesel produced from non-edible seed oil

The fuel demand is increasing globally. Conventional fuel is toxic and causes global warming and pollution. Therefore, biodiesel is being used as an alternative to petroleum fuel because it is non-toxic and can be renewable. Nowadays, the non-edible feedstock is gaining more attention for the production of biodiesel because it can grow anywhere on land, has low cost, and does not cause an imbalance in the food economy. This study deals with the biodiesel production and optimization of biodiesel from Ricinus communis oil using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as solid base catalysts. The free fatty acid content (22.14% mg KOH/g) of castor oil calculated before transesterification indicated that the pretreatment of raw oil with acid was required for biodiesel synthesis. Therefore, the esterification process was used to reduce the free fatty acid content of castor oil from 22.14% to 0.84%. After that, the transesterification process was used for the production of biodiesel using a catalyst (NaOH and KOH). The four different parameter reactions (i.e. Ratio (alcohol to oil), Time, Temperature, and catalyst amount) were used to optimize the yield of biodiesel production. Firstly, NaOH was used as the catalyst and different reactions were done by making changes in all parameters to get maximum yield. The same procedure was done to get maximum yield using KOH as the catalyst. The maximum yield obtained using NaOH and KOH was 94.6% and 96.2% respectively. In the future, initiatives to develop market, policy support, and certification plans for sustainability play a vital role in innovative advancement, gaining market trust, and attracting investment for biodiesel. These efforts enable biodiesel as a renewable energy source in advancing in low-carbon and sustainable future.

Pengaruh Variasi Waktu dan Kecepatan Pengadukan Terhadap Difusivitas dan Konstanta Reaksi Dengan Proses Ekstraksi Reaktif

The world is experiencing a crisis of scarcity of diesel fuel sources. The B30 program is to develop energy sources by utilizing alternative energy sources to prevent petroleum shortages. This program also supports research, namely making biodiesel using non-edible raw materials. Apart from that, another benefit of this research is to determine the effect of time on the yield of biodiesel production, knowing the effect of stirring speed on the diffusivity constant and reaction speed constant of the reactive extraction process. Biodiesel production in this research uses a reactive extraction process. The raw materials used are mahogany seeds, the solvent is methanol, chloroform as a co-solvent, and KOH as a catalyst. This process uses a temperature of 65°C, reaction time of 40 and 80 minutes, and varying stirring speeds of 200 and 300 rpm. The effect of time with a variable stirring speed of 200 rpm the longer the resulting yield increases, while at a stirring speed of 300 rpm the resulting yield decreases. The yield obtained at 200 rpm stirring was 82.363% (40 minutes), 87.6366% (80 minutes), 84.7605% (40 minutes), and 78.7204 (80 minutes). For the methyl ester diffusion constant, the stirring speed of 200 rpm is 8,20 x 10-8 dm2/minute, while the stirring speed of 300 rpm is 8,17 x 10-8 dm2/minute. The reaction rate constant is 1.99 dm3/mol min.

Utilization of Salmon fish bone wastes as a novel bio-based heterogeneous catalyst-support toward the production of biodiesel: Process optimizations and kinetics studies

This study investigated the feasibility of using calcined Salmon fish bone wastes as an inexpensive and reusable catalyst-support for the biodiesel production via transesterification of sunflower oil. In this venue, a series of catalysts were synthesized by impregnating potassium hydroxide (KOH) onto the calcined Salmon fish bones. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized through several techniques, including the FESEM, BET-BJH, TGA, FT-IR, and XRD. In this regard, the effects of the calcination temperature of the waste Salmon fish bone, KOH loading amount, and the calcination temperature of KOH-impregnated support upon the catalytic activity of the final catalyst were understudied. Results displayed that the calcination temperature of fish bones at 1273 K with 40 wt% of KOH loading, which was calcined at 873 K, led to the highest catalytic performance. For this optimum material, the effects of the parameters, such as the catalyst loading, the methanol: oil molar ratio, and the reaction time and temperature upon the biodiesel production yield were examined. It was determined that the optimum operating conditions for the reaction included the catalyst loading of 10 wt%, the methanol: oil molar ratio of 10:1, and the reaction temperature of 338 K for 3 h. The gas chromatography and 1HNMR analyses revealed an optimum biodiesel production yield of 99.13 %. This result is attributed in part to a rather high basicity of the aforementioned optimum material. Moreover, this optimum species was shown to endure four consecutive reaction cycles, whereas its activity dropped by about 10 %. Furthermore, the chemical kinetic parameters of the reaction using this catalyst were determined to be; the reaction rate constant of 0.45 h−1 and its respective activation energy of 67.01 kJ/mol. Ultimately, it was demonstrated that neither internal nor external mass transfer limitations existed in the heterogeneous system considered in this research hence, all observed behaviors were solely due to chemical kinetics.

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil by application of perovskite structure catalyst: Experimental and theoretical evaluation of strontium stannate catalyst activity

In this study, transesterification process of waste cooking oil to produce biodiesel was investigated using perovskite catalyst, strontium stannate. Different characterization tests were used to identify the synthesized catalyst structure. Powder x-ray diffraction and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of synthesized samples confirmed the formation of SrSnO3. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and relative amounts of elements proved the formation of SrSnO3, and elemental mapping showed perfect distribution in the sample. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method determined that the mean pore’s diameter is 25.408 nm. To investigate the catalytic performance, four critical parameters, including operating time, temperature, methanol to oil molar ratio and catalyst loading and their interaction effects were investigated. Also, response surface methodology was implemented to optimize the parameters. According to data analysis and based on transesterification process optimization, the maximum yield of biodiesel production (98.75%) was attained at 40.3 min, 72.9 °C, methanol to oil molar ratio of 18.65:1, and catalyst loading of 2.94 wt%. The results of this study showed that using strontium stannate as a catalyst has a significant impact on the production of biodiesel using waste cooking oil. The catalyst reusability has been investigated for 6 cycles, and it showed a small decrease, and the efficiency of biodiesel production in the sixth cycle reached about 89%, which is still significant.

Enhancing waste cooking oil biodiesel yield and characteristics through machine learning, response surface methodology, and genetic algorithms for optimal utilization in CI engines

ABSTRACT The current study seeks to predict and optimize the biodiesel production yield and physicochemical properties of waste cooking oil. Using Box-Behnken design (BBD), L46 orthogonal arrays were developed for experimentation at five factors and three levels. Furthermore, three different boosting algorithms (AdaBoost, ExtraTrees, and Gradient-Boosting regression) were used to develop an ML-based prognostic model using experimental data. Based on the coefficient of determination (R2) (0.997 for biodiesel yield, 0.999 for kinematic viscosity, 0.996 for calorific value, and 0.999 for flash point), the Gradient-Boosting model has the most accurate predictions, followed by ExtraTrees and AdaBoost. Through the implementation of GA, the most optimal conditions for biodiesel production were obtained, including a molar ratio of 7.24:1, catalyst concentrations of 1.49 wt.%, reaction temperatures of 65°C, reaction times of 59.95 minutes, and stirring speeds of 733.32 rpm. Experimental validation of these optimized conditions is closely aligned with the predicted values. Furthermore, the study evaluates engine performance and emission parameters to assess the impact of different biodiesel/diesel blends (B10, B20, and B30) compared to pure diesel. The utilization of these biodiesel blends demonstrates satisfactory performance, effectively reducing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. However, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions increase compared to pure diesel.

Evaluation of Lipase from an Indigenous Isolated Bacillus Strain for Biodiesel Production

Lipases are utilized in biodiesel production utilizing various types of substrates. The use of lipase in bioenergy production aims to reduce energy crises and environmental pollution. Lipase-producing indigenous bacteria Bacillus licheniformis (Accession no. OP56979) and Bacillus rugosus (Accession no. OP56980) were isolated from various oil-contaminated sites. The isolated potential lipolytic bacteria were screened for maximum lipase production. Then, the bacteria showing the highest lipolytic activity were subjected to identification using the 16s rRNA technique while other isolated were identified biochemically. Lipase [LipBL-WII(c)] from Bacillus licheniformis having the highest lipolytic activity expressed various characteristics. Characterization of crude LipBL-WII(c) expressed that it showed stability in a wide range of pH (4 to 10) with optimum lipolytic activity observed at pH 8. It was then found to be active at a temperature range from 20°C to 80°C with optimal at 50°C. Lipase activity was also stimulated in metal ions such as Ca+1, Mg2+, and Zn2+ the most. Furthermore, LipBL-WII(c) retained lipolytic activity in the presence of various organic solvents and surfactants. The kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) for LipBL-WII(c) were ascertained using Lineweaver- Burk plot. LipBL-WII(c) showed a potential for biodiesel production using olive oil as a source. Lipase gave 84% yield of biodiesel production from olive oil. Thus, it could be employed as a potential candidate for green biodiesel production using oil sources.

New methods to increase microalgae biomass in anaerobic cattle wastewater and the effects on lipids production

In the present study, the microalgae Spirulina platensis DRH 20 was cultivated in 4 photobioreactors with lighting intensity of 330 (±13.2) μmol m−2 s−1, 24 h d−1. No additives were added in PBR 1, while CO2 and phosphoric acid (pH control) were added in PBR 2, phosphoric acid was added in PBR 3, and CO2 was added in PBR 4. Dry biomass reached a maximum of 20.7 g L−1 and productivity reached a maximum of 4.3 g L−1 day−1 in PBR 2. The highest value of CO2 biofixation rate was also found in PBR 2, with 7.758 mg L−1 d−1. The highest μmax and the shortest doubling time were found in PBR 4. Regarding bioremediation, percentages between 76.9% and 79% of COD, 90.9 and 99.3% of NH4+, 85% and 92%. NO3−, were removed. The highest lipid production was recorded in PBR 4 (0.581 g L−1 d−1), which could generate 52.800 gallons of crude oil per year for each hectare cultivated and a biodiesel production yield of 121.7 g kg−1. From the analyses of fatty acids, it was possible to observe that producing biodiesel with the biomass generated in PBR 4 can promote better yields in lipid production and better quality.

Optimization of microreactor-assisted transesterification for biodiesel production using bimetal zirconium-titanium oxide doped magnetic graphene oxide heterogeneous nanocatalyst

The application of novel heterogeneous catalyst materials with unique physicochemical properties for the production of biodiesel can increase the sustainability of the process. In this study, a novel heterogeneous nanocatalyst (NCT) was developed and improved using a microreactor for biodiesel production from used cooking oil (UCO). The NCT was developed based on double-layered bimetal titanium-zirconium oxide nanoparticles (NPs) incorporated over magnetic graphene oxide (ZrO2-TiO2@MGO) using a simple hydrothermal method. The physiochemical morphology of newly developed NCT materials of ZrO2-TiO2 NPs and ZrO2-TiO2@MGO was investigated using FESEM, FTIR, VSM, XRD, and EDX. The effects of several independent variables, including residence duration (60–180 s), oil/methanol molar ratio (1–3), and catalyst concentration (1–5 wt.%) on biodiesel production yield were optimized. The optimum reaction conditions in the microreactor-intensified transesterification process were the ZrO2-TiO2@MGO concentration of 4.75 wt.% (oil-based), reaction duration of 180 s, and oil/ methanol ratio of 2.33. The designed microreactor-assisted ZrO2-TiO2@MGO provided a conversion rate of 99.32%. Consequently, the results revealed that the microreactor effectively shortens the transesterification time while producing a high rate of biodiesel.

Ex-situ biodiesel production from Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) biomass: Process evaluation and optimization

Biodiesel production is explored in the current study through the ex-situ extraction and trans-esterification approach from commercially available Jojoba seed. This biomass is regarded as a beneficial feedstock for biodiesel production as it contains non-edible oil. Also, this feedstock can be cultivated and grown in wastewater and in variable climate conditions. According to the characteristic analysis Jojoba oil is composed of 6.9% saturated fatty acids (4.6% C16:0, 1.3% C18:0 and 0.2% C20:0), 68.7% monounsaturated fatty acids (48% C20:1, 20.2% C18:1 and 0.5% C16:1) and 24.4% polyunsaturated fatty acids (14.8% C18:2, 9.2% C20:2 and 0.4% C18:3). The acid value of crude Jojoba oil is 0.05 mg KOH/ g sample, which feasible the alkaline catalyzed trans-esterification. The effect of variables on oil extraction was explored preliminary through the time-efficient and low-cost central composite design response surface methodology (CCD-RSM). According to the results, 67.51 wt.% saponifiable oil can be extracted from Jojoba seed at 64.5 °C, reaction duration of 187.7 min, rotation rate of 393.2 rpm, and solvent to biomass ratio of 14.6 cc:1 g. The maximum yield of biodiesel production is also obtained at 50 °C, methanol to oil molar ratio (MeOH: Oil) of 5.5:1, reaction time of 2.25 h, and 0.475 wt.% (KOH weight/ oil weight) KOH loading.

Nano Nickel-Zirconia: An Effective Catalyst for the Production of Biodiesel from Waste Cooking Oil

The utilization of heterogeneous catalysts during the production of biodiesel potentially minimize the cost of processing due to the exclusion of the separation step. The (X wt%)Ni–ZrO2 (where X = 10, 25 and 50) catalysts prepared through a hydrothermal process were tested for the production of biodiesel by the transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) with methanol. The influences of various reaction parameters were systematically optimized. While the physicochemical characteristics of the as-synthesized catalysts were examined using numerous techniques such as FTIR, XRD, TGA BET, EDX, SEM, and HRTEM. Among all the catalysts, (10 wt%)Ni–ZrO2 exhibited high surface area when compared to the pristine ZrO2, (25 wt%)Ni–ZrO2 and (50 wt%)Ni–ZrO2 nanocatalysts. It may have influenced the catalytic properties of (10 wt%)Ni–ZrO2, which exhibited maximum catalytic activity with a biodiesel production yield of 90.5% under optimal conditions. Such as 15:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 10 wt% catalysts to oil ratio, 8 h reaction time and 180 °C reaction temperature. Furthermore, the recovered catalyst was efficiently reused in several repeated experiments, demonstrating marginal loss in its activity after multiple cycles (five times).

Characteristic Study of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil using Nipah Skin Ash as a Heterogeneous Catalyst

One type of renewable alternative energy that has great potential to be developed is biodiesel. Biodiesel is a fuel consisting of a mixture of mono-alkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids made from renewable sources such as vegetable oils or animal fats. Such as vegetable oils or animal fats. One of the vegetable oil products that can be used as feedstock for biodiesel production is used cooking oil. Used cooking oil is used oil. The purpose of this research is to study the characteristics of the effect of catalyst mass, the ratio of used cooking oil mole to methanol mole, and the effect of adding THF 1:1 co-solvent on the purity of biodiesel using heterogeneous catalyst ash derived from Nipah fruit skin calcined at 500°C for 4 hours. The process variables were transesterification reaction time 60, 90, 120, and 150 minutes, a mole ratio of methanol to oil 1:19, 1:21, and 1:23 with the addition of THF: methanol v/v 1:1 co-solvent. Biodiesel properties such as density, viscosity, moisture content, and acid number were evaluated and compared with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). The characteristics of biodiesel were obtained with a density of 860.2 Kg/m3 and a viscosity of 2.37 mm2/s. They contained 44.14% Palmitic acid and 43.04% Octadecenoic acid (oleic), following the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). The maximum yield obtained was 93.3598% using a mole ratio of oil: methanol 1:23 at 60°C for 120 minutes, TFT 1:1, and 3% catalyst mass. The results obtained in this study indicate that heterogeneous catalysts made from kapok skin can be used to produce biodiesel. Adding TFT co-solvent can increase biodiesel production and methyl ester yield so that high purity is obtained.

The optimization of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil catalyzed by ostrich-eggshell derived CaO through various machine learning approaches

The continuous increase in demand for fossil-based fuel has led to the requirement for an alternative source that must be renewable. Biodiesel is gaining global acceptance as a renewable source of energy. This research focuses on the optimization of the transesterification of waste cooking oil under the CaO-based catalyst derived from a solid ostrich eggshell by different types of machine learning approaches. The objective of the current study is to evaluate and compare the prediction results as well as the simulating efficiency of the biodiesel production yield using heterogeneous catalysts by various machine learning (ML) techniques: type 1 fuzzy logic system (T1FLS), response surface methodology (RSM), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), and type 2 fuzzy inference logic system (T2FLS). The influence of the independent variables, methanol-oil molar ratio (M:O), temperature, catalyst concentration, and reaction time on the production yield was investigated. Among all the input parameters, the reaction temperature is the most influential one based on the aforesaid techniques. The validity of the proposed models has been verified with the help of statistical analysis and multiple linear regression. The values of the determination coefficient (R2) of type 2 fuzzy logic systems are 99.1% whereas R2 of type 1 fuzzy logic systems, response surface methodology, and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems are 95.3%, 93.3%, and 83.2% respectively. All models give close predicted values. However, the type 2 fuzzy logic models were more accurate compared to other models. This proves that it is more capable of handling a wide range of dynamic processes in the chemical industry.

Optimization and effect of varying catalyst concentration and trans-esterification temperature on the yield of biodiesel production from palm kernel oil and groundnut oil

The negative environmental impact generated by fossil fuel has resulted in the demand to search for alternative routes of renewable sources of energy, such as biodiesel, that have unlimited duration while having little or no hazardous impact. In this study, trans-esterification of palm kernel oil and groundnut oil was carried out using sodium methoxide (CH3ONa) as a catalyst. The effect of varying Sodium Methoxide (CH3ONa) catalyst concentrations of (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) % w/v at trans-esterification temperatures of (50, 55, and 60) oC on the yield of biodiesel from groundnut oil and palm kernel oil was determined. This was to identify the catalyst concentration and trans-esterification temperature with optimal process yield. The process gave optimum biodiesel yields of 98% and 84% by volume of groundnut oil and palm kernel oil at reaction conditions of 0.5%w/v CH3ONa as catalyst, trans-esterification temperature of 55oC, 360 rpm mixing rate and a reaction time of 90 minutes. The biodiesel produced was analyzed for fuel properties using the ASTM standard, and the results obtained were as follows; specific gravity (0.8835, 0.8815 at 15oC), flash point (98, 124) oC, and viscosity (5.2, 7.6) mm2S-1 for palm kernel oil and groundnut oil respectively.