Optimization of Lab-Scale Preparation of Biodiesel from Rubber Seed Oil Using Modified Calcium Oxide as Catalyst

Abstract

Statistical analysis of product yield for biodiesel preparation by transesterification process was performed using the Minitab software. A standard RSM Design tool known as CCD was applied to study the transesterification reaction variables. The obtained parameters were verified experimentally for the transesterification reaction of rubber seed oil using solid metal oxide catalyst. The factors affecting the methyl ester yield during transesterification reaction were identified as the catalyst content, molar ratio of oil to alcohol and reaction time. High methyl ester yield and fast reaction rate could be obtained even if reaction temperature was relatively low, which is quite favorable to the industrial production of biodiesel from the rubber seed oil. 98.54% of methyl ester was formed from the transesterification of RSO with methanol. R-squared is a statistical measure of how close the data are to the fitted regression line. It is also known as the coefficient of determination, or the coefficient of multiple determination for multiple regression. In this study, an R2 value of 0.98 is obtained.