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Optimization of Process Variables for Biodiesel Production Using the Nanomagnetic Catalyst CaO/NaY‐Fe 3 O 4
Author(s) -
Firouzjaee Mahjoobeh Hajitabar,
Taghizadeh Majid
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201600406
Subject(s) - biodiesel , biodiesel production , transesterification , catalysis , methanol , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , materials science , yield (engineering) , field emission microscopy , canola , chemical engineering , response surface methodology , scanning electron microscope , nuclear chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , diffraction , organic chemistry , metallurgy , composite material , chromatography , physics , food science , optics , engineering
Due to decreasing oil resources, alternative fuels such as biodiesel are required. The nanomagnetic catalyst CaO/NaY‐Fe 3 O 4 was synthesized and used for biodiesel production from canola oil. The structure of the catalysts was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer method. To optimize the influence of the operating variables, such as the methanol/canola oil molar ratio, the amount of catalyst, and the reaction time, on the yield of transesterification reaction, an experimental design was applied based on the Box‐Behnken method. The optimum values of these variables were predicted by the cubic model and were in excellent agreement with the experimental results.