title: Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of biodiesel from crude cottonseed oil using response surface methodology.
abstract: Response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to optimize the three important reaction variables-methanol/oil molar ratio (M), NaOH catalyst concentration (C) and reaction time (T) for transesterification of crude cottonseed oil under ultrasonic irradiation. A quadratic polynomial model was obtained to predict the methyl ester yield. 98 wt% of the methyl ester yield could be reached at the deduced optimal conditions: methanol/oil molar raito of 6.2:1, NaOH catalyst concentration of 1 wt% (by the weight of crude cottonseed oil) and reaction time of 8 min. Validation experiments confirmed the validity of the predicted model. Moreover, ultrasonic irradiation was proved to be an efficient, energy saving and economically feasible way to produce biodiesel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaohu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002384:Catalysis; D003369:Cottonseed Oil / Q000737:chemistry*; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources; D004951:Esterification; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014465:Ultrasonics
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D003369:Cottonseed Oil; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D000432:Methanol