Optimization of Annona squamosa oil biodiesel production by using response surface methodology

Demand for liquid fuels has become an important challenge for today's scientific research. Fossil fuel resources decline daily. Biodiesel seems to be an environmentally viable fuel and a possible replacement for fossil fuel. Central composite rotatable design of response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimum conditions for the production of biodiesel from Annona squamosa (Custard apple) oil. Four process parameters were evaluated at five levels (2(4) experimental designs). A total of 30 experiments were designed and conducted to study the effect of catalyst concentration (potassium hydroxide), reaction time, methanol to oil molar ratio, and temperature with respect to biodiesel yield. The 94.29% yield of Annona squamosa oil methyl ester (ASOME/biodiesel) was found to be 6.98:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil, 35.35 minutes reaction time, 1.22% (wt./v) catalyst concentration and 53.27 degrees C temperature. The fuel properties of the biodiesel such as kinematic viscosity, density, flash point, copper corrosion, calorific value, cloud point, pour point, ash content and carbon residue were determined.