Optimisation of The Production Parameters of Delonix Regia Methyl Ester Using Box Behnken Design

Abstract

The optimisation of the production parameters of Delonix regia ester was ca rried out with the view to establish the parameters for the production of optimum methyl ester yield from Delonix regia seed oil. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, alcohol: oil molar ratio and catalyst concentration as well as it interact ion effects on the yield of methyl ester was investigated using the response surface methodology Box behnken design. Data obtained were analyzed statistically using Design expect 9.0 statistical package to determine the response model, surface respond anal ysis of variance (ANOVA). The data collected from optimization of the reaction process was fitted to model. The results showe d that the percentage yield in term of reaction temperature, time, molar ratio, concentration and interaction terms of reaction tem perature and reaction time were significant (p ≤ 0.05) while the lack of fit F value for the Delonix regia methyl ester yield response showed that it was not significant ( p ≤ 0.05) relative to the pure error. This indicates that all the models predicted for methyl ester yield response were adequate. Regression models for data on response methyl ester yield were significant ( p ≤ 0.05) with satisfactory R 2 value of 0.829. The boundaries of the design intergalactic of methyl ester yield have the lowest value at 72 % within the process range of 40 0 C to 56 0 C for Temperature, 30 to 53 minutes for Reaction time, for all production processes while the highest of 90.21 % with the process boundary range of 55 to 60 0 C for A: Temperature, 40 to 60 minutes reaction ti me. The optimization solution gave the process conditions for each process factors at the highest desirability prediction of 0.642 as best reaction tempera ture of 53.20 0 C and the reaction time of 60 minutes, alcohol: oil molar ratio of 2:1 and catalyst con centration of 0.69% when the set goal is based on the physic thermal properties of produced methyl ester.