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Relationship of variables affecting separation following transesterification of vegetable oil
Author(s) -
Hájek Martin,
Skopal František
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
european journal of lipid science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.614
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1438-9312
pISSN - 1438-7697
DOI - 10.1002/ejlt.200800246
Subject(s) - transesterification , sunflower oil , biodiesel , rapeseed , biodiesel production , vegetable oil , alcohol , chemistry , sunflower , linear regression , mathematics , chromatography , pulp and paper industry , organic chemistry , food science , statistics , methanol , engineering , combinatorics , catalysis
The transesterification of vegetable oils (rapeseed and sunflower oils were used) by low‐molecular alcohol is the most‐used method of biodiesel production. A heterogeneous reaction mixture is formed by transesterification, containing ester and glycerol phases. Biodiesel is gained by the sedimentation of this mixture. We have studied how the separation conditions (independent variables: amount of added water, intensity and time of stirring, etc. ) affect the quantity and the quality of both phases (dependent variables). The reaction mixture presents a multivariable system; therefore, the statistical method Plackett–Burman was used for planning the experiments. Multidimensional linear regression was used for the description of the relation between independent and dependent variables. A mathematical model describing this relationship was created for both types of oil.