Moses Olutoye - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Moses Olutoye

The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improve... more The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improvement of the fuel oil was done using sulphuric acid to remove contaminants. Sulphuric acid at different concentrations were mixed with the oil and kept at 45°C for four hours in the agitator vessel to allow reaction to take place. Acidic sludge was then drained off from the agitator and the oil was neutralized with sodium hydroxide. Centrifugation operation was used to extract the sulphonate dispersed in the oil. The treated and untreated oils were characterized for various properties and the results showed that the viscosity, total sulphur of fuel oil decreased from 6.0 to before 5.0 cst after acid treatment and 2.57 to 1.2225% w/w respectively while the flash point increased from 248 to 264°F. The water and sediment content increased from trace before to 0.6 after treatment. In addition, the calorific value increased from initial value of 44,368 to 44,805 and 44,715 kJ/kg at 50% and 75% conc. H 2 SO 4 while decreasing with 85% and 90% conc. H 2 SO 4 . However, both carbon residue and ash content decreases with an increase in acid concentration.

Advances in Chemical Engineering and Science, 2014

Fuel Processing Technology, 2014

ABSTRACT The esterification of non-edible, low cost palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) with methan... more ABSTRACT The esterification of non-edible, low cost palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) with methanol has been studied in heterogeneous process using ZrFeTiO, ZrFeO, and FeTiO catalysts at temperature range of 110–200 °C. The catalysts prepared by sol–gel synthesis procedure were characterized by N2 adsorption, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, and SEM/EDX. All catalysts exhibited high catalytic activity in PFAD esterification with methanol. The highest conversion to methyl esters, 96.54%, was achieved using ZrFeTiO catalyst calcined at 600 °C for 4 h after 5 h of reaction at 170 °C, 3 wt.% of catalyst loading, and methanol to oil ratio of 3:1. The catalysts were separated easily from reaction mixture and minimal leaching of active species to the reaction medium is found. It can be used in four successive reactions with stable conversions. Regeneration and reuse are feasible and easy to perform.

Fuel Processing Technology, 2010

ABSTRACT The Mg–Zn interaction effect of KyMg1 − xZn1 + xO3 heterogeneous type catalyst and its p... more ABSTRACT The Mg–Zn interaction effect of KyMg1 − xZn1 + xO3 heterogeneous type catalyst and its performance on transesterification of palm oil have been studied using the response surface methodology and the factorial design of experiments. The catalyst was synthesized using the co-precipitation method and the activity was assessed by transesterification of palm oil into fatty acid methyl esters. The ratio of the Mg/Zn metal interaction, temperature and time of calcination were found to have positive influence on the conversion of palm oil to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) with the effect of metal to metal ratio and temperature of calcination being more significant. The catalytic activity was found to decrease at higher calcination temperature and the catalyst type K2Mg0.34Zn1.66O3 with Mg/Zn ratio of 4.81 gave FAME content of 73% at a catalyst loading of 1.404 wt.% of oil with molar ratio of methanol to oil being 6:1 at temperature of 150 °C in 6 h. A regression model was obtained to predict conversions to methyl esters as a function of metal interaction ratio, temperature of calcination and time. The observed activity of the synthesized catalyst was due to its synergetic structure and composition.

Bioresource Technology, 2013

The current research investigates synthesis of methyl esters by transesterification of waste cook... more The current research investigates synthesis of methyl esters by transesterification of waste cooking oil in a heterogeneous system, using barium meliorated construction site waste marble as solid base catalyst. The pretreated catalyst was calcined at 830 °C for 4h prior to its activity test to obtained solid oxide characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, BET surface area and pore size measurement. It was found that the as prepared catalyst has large pores which contributed to its high activity in transesterification reaction. The methyl ester yield of 88% was obtained when the methanol/oil molar ratio was 9:1, reaction temperature at 65 °C, reaction time 3h and catalyst/oil mass ratio of 3.0 wt.%. The catalyst can be reused over three cycles, offer low operating conditions, reduce energy consumption and waste generation in the production of biodiesel.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were produced from palm oil using eggshell modified with magnesiu... more Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were produced from palm oil using eggshell modified with magnesium and potassium nitrates to form a composite, low-cost heterogeneous catalyst for transesterification. The catalyst, prepared by the combination of impregnation/co-precipitation was calcined at 830 °C for 4 h. Transesterification was conducted at a constant temperature of 65 °C in a batch reactor. Design of experiment (DOE) was used to optimize the reaction parameters, and the conditions that gave highest yield of FAME (85.8%) was 5.35 wt.% catalyst loading at 4.5 h with 16:1 methanol/oil molar ratio. The results revealed that eggshell, a solid waste, can be utilized as low-cost catalyst after modification with magnesium and potassium nitrates for biodiesel production.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

The potential of Mg x Co 2Àx O 2 as heterogeneous reusable catalyst in transesterification of pal... more The potential of Mg x Co 2Àx O 2 as heterogeneous reusable catalyst in transesterification of palm oil to methyl ester was investigated. The catalyst was prepared via co-precipitation of the metal hydroxides at different Mg-Co ratios. Mg 1.7 Co 0.3 O 2 catalyst was more active than Mg 0.3 Co 1.7 O 2 in the transesterification of palm oil with methanol. The catalysts calcined at temperature 300°C for 4 h resulted in highly active oxides and the highest transesterification of 90% was achieved at methanol/oil molar ratio of 9:1, catalyst loading of 5.00 wt.%, reaction temperature of 150°C and reaction time of 2 h. The catalyst could easily be removed from reaction mixture, but showed 50% decrease in activity when reused due to leaching of active sites.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

ABSTRACT Fatty acid methyl ester was produced from used vegetable cooking oil using Mg(1-)(x) Zn(... more ABSTRACT Fatty acid methyl ester was produced from used vegetable cooking oil using Mg(1-)(x) Zn(1+)(x)O(2) solid catalyst and the performance monitored in terms of ester content obtained. Used vegetable cooking oil was employed to reduce operation cost of biodiesel. The significant operating parameters which affect the overall yield of the process were studied. The highest ester content, 80%, was achieved with the catalyst during 4h 15 min reaction at 188°C with methanol to oil ratio of 9:1 and catalyst loading of 2.55 wt% oil. Also, transesterification of virgin oil gave higher yield with the heterogeneous catalyst and showed high selectivity towards ester production. The used vegetable cooking oil did not require any rigorous pretreatment. Catalyst stability was examined and there was no leaching of the active components, and its performance was as good at the fourth as at the first cycle.

Bioresource Technology, 2012

Methyl esters were synthesized from crude karanj oil (CKO) by single step esterification with met... more Methyl esters were synthesized from crude karanj oil (CKO) by single step esterification with methanol using sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) and phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) as catalysts in a homogeneous batch process. H 3 PO 4 was less active than H 2 SO 4 during the process as it presented very low ester yields (<20%) for the various molar ratios of fatty acid to alcohol studied. With H 2 SO 4 as catalyst, the yield was as high as 89.8% at 65°C after 5 h. The fatty acids profile of the oil (palmitic acid: 1212%; stearic acid: 128%; oleic acid: $52% and linolenic acid of 17%) and the different reactivities of the acids were responsible for the observed differences in conversion to methyl esters. The findings attained with this study might contribute to the economic utilization of a non-edible feedstock.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

The synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as a substitute to petroleum diesel was investig... more The synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as a substitute to petroleum diesel was investigated in this study from crude jatropha oil (CJO), a non-edible, low-cost alternative feedstock, using aluminium modified heterogeneous basic oxide (Mg-Zn) catalyst. The transesterification reaction with methanol to methyl esters yielded 94% in 6h with methanol-oil ratio of 11:1, catalyst loading of 8.68 wt.% at 182°C and the properties of CJO fuel produced were determine and found to be comparable to the standards according to ASTM. In the range of experimental parameters investigated, it showed that the catalyst is selective to production of methyl esters from oil with high free fatty acid (FFA) and water content of 7.23% and 3.28%, respectively in a single stage process. Thus, jatropha oil is a promising feedstock for methyl ester production and large scale cultivation will help to reduce the product cost.

Applied Catalysis A: General, 2009

An active heterogeneous catalyst of the type KyMg1−xZn1+xO3 that separates easily from an ester p... more An active heterogeneous catalyst of the type KyMg1−xZn1+xO3 that separates easily from an ester product mixture has been developed. The catalytic efficiency was studied with the transesterification of palm oil into fatty acid methyl esters. The catalyst was thermally treated at 461°C for 4h. A typical K2Mg0.34Zn1.66O3 oxide was characterized with powder X-ray diffraction and infrared Fourier transform, and its microstructure was studied by the use of scanning electron microscopy. The properties studied provided insight into the catalytic performance of the catalyst. The optimum conditions were obtained by varying parameters such as methanol to oil ratio, catalyst loading, temperature and time. The highest ester conversion of 87% was achieved under atmospheric pressure in 5h at 188°C using 64g of refined palm oil, 38g of methanol and 2.3wt% catalyst dosage. The results showed that a synergetic effect of active components was responsible for its high activity.

Applied Catalysis A: General, 2013

ABSTRACT Local clay was prepared, characterized and used as catalyst for the synthesis of fatty a... more ABSTRACT Local clay was prepared, characterized and used as catalyst for the synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters from waste cooking palm oil. Calcined raw clay at various temperatures was investigated and showed good activity for transesterification reaction when samples were treated at 830 °C for 4 h. The effects of parameters affecting the catalytic reaction, methanol to oil ratio, catalyst loading and reaction temperature in the range of 150–170 °C were investigated at fixed reaction time of 5 h. The obtained data showed that at methanol/oil ratio of 15:1, catalyst loading of 3.5 wt% and reaction temperature of 150 °C, the FAME content from the process was 96%. The catalyst is easily prepared and handled, avoiding the use of expensive rare earth metals in biodiesel production, easily separated from the reaction medium and could be reused up to three cycles.

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2004

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) show large potential applications as diesel substitutes, also kn... more Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) show large potential applications as diesel substitutes, also known as biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuel as renewable energy is an alternative that can reduce energy dependence on petroleum as well as air pollution. Several processes for the production of biodiesel fuel have been developed. Transesterification processes under alkali catalysis with short-chain alcohols give high yields of methyl esters in short reaction times. We investigated transesterification of rapeseed oil to produce the FAMEs. Experimental reaction conditions were molar ratio of oil to alcohol, concentration of catalyst, type of catalyst, reaction time, and temperature. The conversion ratio of rapeseed oil was enhanced by the alcohol:oil mixing ratio and the reaction temperature.

Continue survival of the petrochemical industry in the face of advancement in processing technolo... more Continue survival of the petrochemical industry in the face of advancement in processing technology must change for better performance. In doing so, the pre-treatment stage of crude, which include desalting will go a long way at improving the overall quality of the product obtained. It is in view of this that a mathematical modeling of adsorption of a fixed simulated bed for desalting operation was carried out to determine the variation of the concentration of adsorbate (mol/l) and the amount of adsorbate (mol) of the simulated fixed bed, using a prototype simulated fixed bed, and Silica -Alumina as the adsorbent. A model equation was developed from the prototype .both the model and simulated results showed that the concentration of the effluent stream decreases as the height increases down the column, giving effective absorbate absorption, until the concentration reaches 2.48 mol/l, while the amount of the absorbate increases down the depth of the column to an amount 28.29 mol, The optimum height for the adsorbent bed design obtained was approximately 5.67m, while the graphical analysis of the experimental and the simulated results showed that there is a close agreement between them. The results obtain is suitable for desalting operation and for research and development of the existing plants, and can be used in building of pilot scale to the plant stage. 21

This paper present a research work on the modeling of a gas absorption packed column with the aim... more This paper present a research work on the modeling of a gas absorption packed column with the aim formulating a mathematical model and simulation of the model using a computer software to obtain the rate of absorption and the amount of absorbed carbon dioxide CO 2 into dilute sodium hydroxide NaOH. Arm field gas absorption column titration techniques were used for the analysis. The total concentration of carbonate and hence the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed was determined using gravimetric methods. The comparison between the obtained experimental and simulated results shows that the formulated model is a good representation of the system. A program was written in Q-Basic for simulation of any gas absorption packed column, the model and computer program could therefore be used to determining the condition in a counter-current continuous column at any given time, for any chemically reacting absorption system.

The research work on the unsteady state behavior of gas absorption column for CO 2 -NaOH system w... more The research work on the unsteady state behavior of gas absorption column for CO 2 -NaOH system was carried out using the armfield gas absorption column. A model equation was developed by considering material balance around the system. The concentrations of the inlet and outlet liquid streams and the gas outlet stream varied as functions of time, while all other parameters, gas inlet stream concentration, and tank volume, were constant. Model equations were derived for the time dependent parameters and the model compared with experiments conducted for duration of 90 minutes

The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improve... more The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improvement of the fuel oil was done using sulphuric acid to remove contaminants. Sulphuric acid at different concentrations were mixed with the oil and kept at 45°C for four hours in the agitator vessel to allow reaction to take place. Acidic sludge was then drained off from the agitator and the oil was neutralized with sodium hydroxide. Centrifugation operation was used to extract the sulphonate dispersed in the oil. The treated and untreated oils were characterized for various properties and the results showed that the viscosity, total sulphur of fuel oil decreased from 6.0 to before 5.0 cst after acid treatment and 2.57 to 1.2225% w/w respectively while the flash point increased from 248 to 264°F. The water and sediment content increased from trace before to 0.6 after treatment. In addition, the calorific value increased from initial value of 44,368 to 44,805 and 44,715 kJ/kg at 50% and 75% conc. H 2 SO 4 while decreasing with 85% and 90% conc. H 2 SO 4 . However, both carbon residue and ash content decreases with an increase in acid concentration.

The fluidization characteristics of a prototype-fluidized bed laboratory reactor were understudie... more The fluidization characteristics of a prototype-fluidized bed laboratory reactor were understudied in order to investigate the suitable conditions at which the dehydrogenation reaction of butane could be carried out. To achieve this, a reactor with an effective volume of 1100ml was fabricated and coupled with temperature and pressure accessories.

The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improve... more The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improvement of the fuel oil was done using sulphuric acid to remove contaminants. Sulphuric acid at different concentrations were mixed with the oil and kept at 45°C for four hours in the agitator vessel to allow reaction to take place. Acidic sludge was then drained off from the agitator and the oil was neutralized with sodium hydroxide. Centrifugation operation was used to extract the sulphonate dispersed in the oil. The treated and untreated oils were characterized for various properties and the results showed that the viscosity, total sulphur of fuel oil decreased from 6.0 to before 5.0 cst after acid treatment and 2.57 to 1.2225% w/w respectively while the flash point increased from 248 to 264°F. The water and sediment content increased from trace before to 0.6 after treatment. In addition, the calorific value increased from initial value of 44,368 to 44,805 and 44,715 kJ/kg at 50% and 75% conc. H 2 SO 4 while decreasing with 85% and 90% conc. H 2 SO 4 . However, both carbon residue and ash content decreases with an increase in acid concentration.

Advances in Chemical Engineering and Science, 2014

Fuel Processing Technology, 2014

ABSTRACT The esterification of non-edible, low cost palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) with methan... more ABSTRACT The esterification of non-edible, low cost palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) with methanol has been studied in heterogeneous process using ZrFeTiO, ZrFeO, and FeTiO catalysts at temperature range of 110–200 °C. The catalysts prepared by sol–gel synthesis procedure were characterized by N2 adsorption, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, and SEM/EDX. All catalysts exhibited high catalytic activity in PFAD esterification with methanol. The highest conversion to methyl esters, 96.54%, was achieved using ZrFeTiO catalyst calcined at 600 °C for 4 h after 5 h of reaction at 170 °C, 3 wt.% of catalyst loading, and methanol to oil ratio of 3:1. The catalysts were separated easily from reaction mixture and minimal leaching of active species to the reaction medium is found. It can be used in four successive reactions with stable conversions. Regeneration and reuse are feasible and easy to perform.

Fuel Processing Technology, 2010

ABSTRACT The Mg–Zn interaction effect of KyMg1 − xZn1 + xO3 heterogeneous type catalyst and its p... more ABSTRACT The Mg–Zn interaction effect of KyMg1 − xZn1 + xO3 heterogeneous type catalyst and its performance on transesterification of palm oil have been studied using the response surface methodology and the factorial design of experiments. The catalyst was synthesized using the co-precipitation method and the activity was assessed by transesterification of palm oil into fatty acid methyl esters. The ratio of the Mg/Zn metal interaction, temperature and time of calcination were found to have positive influence on the conversion of palm oil to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) with the effect of metal to metal ratio and temperature of calcination being more significant. The catalytic activity was found to decrease at higher calcination temperature and the catalyst type K2Mg0.34Zn1.66O3 with Mg/Zn ratio of 4.81 gave FAME content of 73% at a catalyst loading of 1.404 wt.% of oil with molar ratio of methanol to oil being 6:1 at temperature of 150 °C in 6 h. A regression model was obtained to predict conversions to methyl esters as a function of metal interaction ratio, temperature of calcination and time. The observed activity of the synthesized catalyst was due to its synergetic structure and composition.

Bioresource Technology, 2013

The current research investigates synthesis of methyl esters by transesterification of waste cook... more The current research investigates synthesis of methyl esters by transesterification of waste cooking oil in a heterogeneous system, using barium meliorated construction site waste marble as solid base catalyst. The pretreated catalyst was calcined at 830 °C for 4h prior to its activity test to obtained solid oxide characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, BET surface area and pore size measurement. It was found that the as prepared catalyst has large pores which contributed to its high activity in transesterification reaction. The methyl ester yield of 88% was obtained when the methanol/oil molar ratio was 9:1, reaction temperature at 65 °C, reaction time 3h and catalyst/oil mass ratio of 3.0 wt.%. The catalyst can be reused over three cycles, offer low operating conditions, reduce energy consumption and waste generation in the production of biodiesel.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were produced from palm oil using eggshell modified with magnesiu... more Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were produced from palm oil using eggshell modified with magnesium and potassium nitrates to form a composite, low-cost heterogeneous catalyst for transesterification. The catalyst, prepared by the combination of impregnation/co-precipitation was calcined at 830 °C for 4 h. Transesterification was conducted at a constant temperature of 65 °C in a batch reactor. Design of experiment (DOE) was used to optimize the reaction parameters, and the conditions that gave highest yield of FAME (85.8%) was 5.35 wt.% catalyst loading at 4.5 h with 16:1 methanol/oil molar ratio. The results revealed that eggshell, a solid waste, can be utilized as low-cost catalyst after modification with magnesium and potassium nitrates for biodiesel production.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

The potential of Mg x Co 2Àx O 2 as heterogeneous reusable catalyst in transesterification of pal... more The potential of Mg x Co 2Àx O 2 as heterogeneous reusable catalyst in transesterification of palm oil to methyl ester was investigated. The catalyst was prepared via co-precipitation of the metal hydroxides at different Mg-Co ratios. Mg 1.7 Co 0.3 O 2 catalyst was more active than Mg 0.3 Co 1.7 O 2 in the transesterification of palm oil with methanol. The catalysts calcined at temperature 300°C for 4 h resulted in highly active oxides and the highest transesterification of 90% was achieved at methanol/oil molar ratio of 9:1, catalyst loading of 5.00 wt.%, reaction temperature of 150°C and reaction time of 2 h. The catalyst could easily be removed from reaction mixture, but showed 50% decrease in activity when reused due to leaching of active sites.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

ABSTRACT Fatty acid methyl ester was produced from used vegetable cooking oil using Mg(1-)(x) Zn(... more ABSTRACT Fatty acid methyl ester was produced from used vegetable cooking oil using Mg(1-)(x) Zn(1+)(x)O(2) solid catalyst and the performance monitored in terms of ester content obtained. Used vegetable cooking oil was employed to reduce operation cost of biodiesel. The significant operating parameters which affect the overall yield of the process were studied. The highest ester content, 80%, was achieved with the catalyst during 4h 15 min reaction at 188°C with methanol to oil ratio of 9:1 and catalyst loading of 2.55 wt% oil. Also, transesterification of virgin oil gave higher yield with the heterogeneous catalyst and showed high selectivity towards ester production. The used vegetable cooking oil did not require any rigorous pretreatment. Catalyst stability was examined and there was no leaching of the active components, and its performance was as good at the fourth as at the first cycle.

Bioresource Technology, 2012

Methyl esters were synthesized from crude karanj oil (CKO) by single step esterification with met... more Methyl esters were synthesized from crude karanj oil (CKO) by single step esterification with methanol using sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) and phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) as catalysts in a homogeneous batch process. H 3 PO 4 was less active than H 2 SO 4 during the process as it presented very low ester yields (<20%) for the various molar ratios of fatty acid to alcohol studied. With H 2 SO 4 as catalyst, the yield was as high as 89.8% at 65°C after 5 h. The fatty acids profile of the oil (palmitic acid: 1212%; stearic acid: 128%; oleic acid: $52% and linolenic acid of 17%) and the different reactivities of the acids were responsible for the observed differences in conversion to methyl esters. The findings attained with this study might contribute to the economic utilization of a non-edible feedstock.

Bioresource Technology, 2011

The synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as a substitute to petroleum diesel was investig... more The synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as a substitute to petroleum diesel was investigated in this study from crude jatropha oil (CJO), a non-edible, low-cost alternative feedstock, using aluminium modified heterogeneous basic oxide (Mg-Zn) catalyst. The transesterification reaction with methanol to methyl esters yielded 94% in 6h with methanol-oil ratio of 11:1, catalyst loading of 8.68 wt.% at 182°C and the properties of CJO fuel produced were determine and found to be comparable to the standards according to ASTM. In the range of experimental parameters investigated, it showed that the catalyst is selective to production of methyl esters from oil with high free fatty acid (FFA) and water content of 7.23% and 3.28%, respectively in a single stage process. Thus, jatropha oil is a promising feedstock for methyl ester production and large scale cultivation will help to reduce the product cost.

Applied Catalysis A: General, 2009

An active heterogeneous catalyst of the type KyMg1−xZn1+xO3 that separates easily from an ester p... more An active heterogeneous catalyst of the type KyMg1−xZn1+xO3 that separates easily from an ester product mixture has been developed. The catalytic efficiency was studied with the transesterification of palm oil into fatty acid methyl esters. The catalyst was thermally treated at 461°C for 4h. A typical K2Mg0.34Zn1.66O3 oxide was characterized with powder X-ray diffraction and infrared Fourier transform, and its microstructure was studied by the use of scanning electron microscopy. The properties studied provided insight into the catalytic performance of the catalyst. The optimum conditions were obtained by varying parameters such as methanol to oil ratio, catalyst loading, temperature and time. The highest ester conversion of 87% was achieved under atmospheric pressure in 5h at 188°C using 64g of refined palm oil, 38g of methanol and 2.3wt% catalyst dosage. The results showed that a synergetic effect of active components was responsible for its high activity.

Applied Catalysis A: General, 2013

ABSTRACT Local clay was prepared, characterized and used as catalyst for the synthesis of fatty a... more ABSTRACT Local clay was prepared, characterized and used as catalyst for the synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters from waste cooking palm oil. Calcined raw clay at various temperatures was investigated and showed good activity for transesterification reaction when samples were treated at 830 °C for 4 h. The effects of parameters affecting the catalytic reaction, methanol to oil ratio, catalyst loading and reaction temperature in the range of 150–170 °C were investigated at fixed reaction time of 5 h. The obtained data showed that at methanol/oil ratio of 15:1, catalyst loading of 3.5 wt% and reaction temperature of 150 °C, the FAME content from the process was 96%. The catalyst is easily prepared and handled, avoiding the use of expensive rare earth metals in biodiesel production, easily separated from the reaction medium and could be reused up to three cycles.

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2004

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) show large potential applications as diesel substitutes, also kn... more Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) show large potential applications as diesel substitutes, also known as biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuel as renewable energy is an alternative that can reduce energy dependence on petroleum as well as air pollution. Several processes for the production of biodiesel fuel have been developed. Transesterification processes under alkali catalysis with short-chain alcohols give high yields of methyl esters in short reaction times. We investigated transesterification of rapeseed oil to produce the FAMEs. Experimental reaction conditions were molar ratio of oil to alcohol, concentration of catalyst, type of catalyst, reaction time, and temperature. The conversion ratio of rapeseed oil was enhanced by the alcohol:oil mixing ratio and the reaction temperature.

Continue survival of the petrochemical industry in the face of advancement in processing technolo... more Continue survival of the petrochemical industry in the face of advancement in processing technology must change for better performance. In doing so, the pre-treatment stage of crude, which include desalting will go a long way at improving the overall quality of the product obtained. It is in view of this that a mathematical modeling of adsorption of a fixed simulated bed for desalting operation was carried out to determine the variation of the concentration of adsorbate (mol/l) and the amount of adsorbate (mol) of the simulated fixed bed, using a prototype simulated fixed bed, and Silica -Alumina as the adsorbent. A model equation was developed from the prototype .both the model and simulated results showed that the concentration of the effluent stream decreases as the height increases down the column, giving effective absorbate absorption, until the concentration reaches 2.48 mol/l, while the amount of the absorbate increases down the depth of the column to an amount 28.29 mol, The optimum height for the adsorbent bed design obtained was approximately 5.67m, while the graphical analysis of the experimental and the simulated results showed that there is a close agreement between them. The results obtain is suitable for desalting operation and for research and development of the existing plants, and can be used in building of pilot scale to the plant stage. 21

This paper present a research work on the modeling of a gas absorption packed column with the aim... more This paper present a research work on the modeling of a gas absorption packed column with the aim formulating a mathematical model and simulation of the model using a computer software to obtain the rate of absorption and the amount of absorbed carbon dioxide CO 2 into dilute sodium hydroxide NaOH. Arm field gas absorption column titration techniques were used for the analysis. The total concentration of carbonate and hence the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed was determined using gravimetric methods. The comparison between the obtained experimental and simulated results shows that the formulated model is a good representation of the system. A program was written in Q-Basic for simulation of any gas absorption packed column, the model and computer program could therefore be used to determining the condition in a counter-current continuous column at any given time, for any chemically reacting absorption system.

The research work on the unsteady state behavior of gas absorption column for CO 2 -NaOH system w... more The research work on the unsteady state behavior of gas absorption column for CO 2 -NaOH system was carried out using the armfield gas absorption column. A model equation was developed by considering material balance around the system. The concentrations of the inlet and outlet liquid streams and the gas outlet stream varied as functions of time, while all other parameters, gas inlet stream concentration, and tank volume, were constant. Model equations were derived for the time dependent parameters and the model compared with experiments conducted for duration of 90 minutes

The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improve... more The work on the quality improvement of fuel oil using acid treatment was carried out. The improvement of the fuel oil was done using sulphuric acid to remove contaminants. Sulphuric acid at different concentrations were mixed with the oil and kept at 45°C for four hours in the agitator vessel to allow reaction to take place. Acidic sludge was then drained off from the agitator and the oil was neutralized with sodium hydroxide. Centrifugation operation was used to extract the sulphonate dispersed in the oil. The treated and untreated oils were characterized for various properties and the results showed that the viscosity, total sulphur of fuel oil decreased from 6.0 to before 5.0 cst after acid treatment and 2.57 to 1.2225% w/w respectively while the flash point increased from 248 to 264°F. The water and sediment content increased from trace before to 0.6 after treatment. In addition, the calorific value increased from initial value of 44,368 to 44,805 and 44,715 kJ/kg at 50% and 75% conc. H 2 SO 4 while decreasing with 85% and 90% conc. H 2 SO 4 . However, both carbon residue and ash content decreases with an increase in acid concentration.

The fluidization characteristics of a prototype-fluidized bed laboratory reactor were understudie... more The fluidization characteristics of a prototype-fluidized bed laboratory reactor were understudied in order to investigate the suitable conditions at which the dehydrogenation reaction of butane could be carried out. To achieve this, a reactor with an effective volume of 1100ml was fabricated and coupled with temperature and pressure accessories.