Application of Response Surface Methodology for Optimization of Biodiesel Production by Transesterification of Animal Fat with Methanol

In an effort to optimize the reaction conditions of biodiesel production from animal fat, response surface methodology was used. The combined effects of catalyst concentration, reaction time and methanol quantity of biodiesel yield were investigated and optimized using response surface methodology. A second order model was generated to predict biodiesel yield as a function of catalyst concentration, reaction time and methanol quantity by keeping the reaction temperature (55 degrees C to 60 degrees C) constant for all experiments A statistical model predicted the maximum animal fat methyl ester yield of 85.93% volume of oil at optimized parameters of methanol quantity (35% volume of oil), base catalyst concentration (0.46% weight of oil) and reaction time (90 minutes). Experimentally, maximum yield of 91% was obtained at the above parameters. A variation of 5.56% was observed between predicted maximum and experimental maximum yield.