Experimental Investigation and Optimization of Non-Catalytic In-Situ Biodiesel Production from Rice Bran Using Response Surface Methodology Historical Data Design

Siti Zullaikah (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Ari Krisna Putra (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Fathi Haqqani Fachrudin (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Rosada Y Naulina (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Sri Utami (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Rifky P Herminanto (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Orchidea Rachmaniah (Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111)
Yi Hsu Ju (Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei||Taiwan Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei||Taiwan Taiwan Building Techno)

International Journal of Renewable Energy Development
Vol 10, No 4 (2021): November 2021

Rice bran oil (RBO)is claimed to be a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. Non-catalytic in-situ biodiesel production from a low-cost feedstock (rice bran) using subcritical ethanol-water mixture was investigated in this study. The influence of four independent variables, i.e., addition of co-solvent, ethanol concentration, temperature, and time of reactions, on the yield of biodiesel was examined. The results showed that the most effective co-solvent wasethyl acetate and the optimum ethanol concentration, temperature and reaction time were 80% v/v, 200 oC and 3 hours, respectively. The maximum yield of biodiesel was found to be around 80%. The optimization of operating conditions was carried out by response surface methodology (RSM) with historical data design (HDD). The statistical method also suggested similar optimum operating conditions, i.e., 78.44% (v/v) ethanol concentration, 200 oC, and 3.2 hours reaction time with ethyl acetate as a co-solvent. The predicted maximum biodiesel yield was also slightly lower, i.e., 76.98%. Therefore, this study suggests that biodiesel production from rice bran through a non-catalytic in-situ process using a subcritical ethanol-water mixture with ethyl acetate as a co-solvent is very feasible since the yield can reach 80%. The study also found that RSM with HDD can predict the optimum operating conditions with a good accuracy.