Optimizing Biodiesel Production from Hazelnut kernel oil and waste cooking oil with CaO catalyst Using RSM Approach

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamilnadu
³ Department of Mathematics, CVR College of Engineering, Hyderabad, Telangana.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindusthan college of engineering and technology, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.
⁵ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana
⁶ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Uttaranchal Institute of Technology, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun - 248007, Uttarakhand, India.
⁷ University School of Mechanical Engineering, Research & Incubation Centre, Rayat Bahra University, Chandigarh-Ropar NH 205, Greater Mohali, Punjab, 140103, India.

Corresponding author: Senthilmurugan.mech@hicet.ac.in

Abstract

This study focused on optimizing biodiesel (BD) production from the hazelnut kernel oil and waste cooking oil using Box Behnken Design in Response Surface Methodology (RSM- BBD). The process was improved by employing CaO as a catalyst, with four variables including reaction temperature (50 to 70 °C), CaO catalyst concentration (2 to 6 wt%), stirring speed (300 to 500 rpm), and methanol-to-oil molar ratio (5:1 to 15:1). Through RSM-BBD, the optimal conditions for achieving maximum biodiesel yield were found to be a temperature of 50 °C, catalyst of 2 wt%, stirring speed of 500 rpm, and a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 10:1. These conditions caused in a biodiesel yield of 94.85%. The findings established that biodiesel derived from hazelnut kernel oil and the waste cooking oil not only presented a sustainable alternative to conventional fuels but also chances ASTM and EN biodiesel standards, making it suitable for industrial production.