Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (Dec 2024)
Bio-adsorbent of Jatropha curcus oil in sugar cane bagasse ash for the synthesis of biodiesel catalyzed by calcined Sartaj maize stalk powder (CSMSP)
Abstract
Previous studies revealed that the used of acid (HCl/H2SO4) have widely used to reduce Jatropha curcus oil (JCO) acid value for an effective biodiesel production. However, the use of acid is difficult to handle, increase the cost of biodiesel production, and can be time consuming. Furthermore, calcined stalk powder have been reportedly used as bio-base catalyst for the synthesis of biodiesel, but no single report ever identified the varieties of the maize stalk used. Therefore, this study introduced a novel pathway to examine the adsorption of high-free fatty acid JCO in sugar cane bagasse as a bio-adsorbent for the production of biodiesel (JCOB). Oil was extracted from the Jatropha curcus seed, and its properties were determined. A new novel catalyst was developed from a new variety of calcined Sartaj maize stalk powder and was characterized by utilizing Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF-FS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDX), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Zeta potential (ZETA), and Brunauer-emmett-teller (BET) analyzers. A single-step transesterification procedure was used to convert the oil to biodiesel. Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Networks were used for modeling and optimizing the transesterification process. The base-strength of the catalyst was ascertained using a catalyst reusability test, and the characteristics of the biodiesel produced were assessed using conventional (standards) techniques.The results indicate that higher temperatures caused breaks in the oil's double bond during the extraction process, thereby raising the JCO free fatty acid (FFA) value (13.2 %). However, sugar cane bagasse, a bio-adsorbent with the smallest particle size (210 μm), was found to be effective in lowering the FFA of JCO from 13.20 % to 0.38 %. Catalyst analysis indicated K2O (38.30 % wt.), Cl (16.41 % wt.), CaO (13.01 % wt.), SiO2 (10.99 % wt.), P2O5 (4.30 % wt.), and MgO (3.69 % wt.) concentration by weight were the main components detected in the catalyst, according to catalyst characterization and analysis. The highest verified output (optimum validated yield) was at 3.10 % (wt.) catalyst concentration, a reaction time of 74.60 min, a 56.20 °C reaction temperature, and a methanol-oil molar ratio of 7.80 (vol/vol). The optimum validated biodiesel yield of 99.42 % (wt./wt.) was determined. After five rounds of the catalyst reusability test, the yield of biodiesel decreased, hence the reusability test was altered.The research concluded that sugar cane bagasse is a new novel material for an effective bio-adsorbent high-FFA oil of JCO, and that the novel catalyst developed can be utilized as a nano-catalyst in CPIs (chemical processing industries).
