Biodiesel Reactor Optimization using

Combined CFD-Taguchi Method

Nabeel Adeyemi
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering,
International Islamic University Malaysia
Malaysia

Supervisor: Prof A.K.M. Mohiuddin (Mechanical Eng Dept, IIUM),

Co-Supervisor: Assoc.Prof Dr Tariq Jameel (Biotechnology
Engineering Dept, IIUM)
 Objectives
• This primary aim is this work is to model the
transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO)
using Computational Fluid dynamics (CFD)
techniques where the specie reaction and flow
in a reactor are simultaneously considered
 Introduction
• Biodiesel Production based on Food Oils.
– Fuel vs Food debate
• Alternative raw material
WCO-thermally-degraded Food Oils
(>17hrs domestic/ industrial use at 60-90°C or more).
 Introduction (Cont’d)
• Factor affecting biodiesel production
– temperature, ratio of alcohol to oil,
catalyst type and amount, FFA and
water content and mixing intensity
• Optimization of biodiesel production
carried out in ‘lab flask’ accounting
ONLY for the kinetics related
effect.
 Problem Statement
Yield in WCO transesterification is
about 80-85% in batch reactors due
to mass transfer and kinetics-related
limitations. The reason alluded to this
is with little reference to physical
condition of reactor, where the mixing
of the reactant can be significantly
improved during the reaction
 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY
• If the hydrodynamics in bioreactor
are considered and accounted for,
along the reaction kinetics, reaction
parameters can be easily optimized
for varying process condition in
reactor design using CFD (Multiphysics
approach)
 Coupled multiphysics
phenomena
1 2
Momentum Mass
(Navier-Stokes Equations) (Convection and Diffusion, Reaction)
Velocity, pressure Concentration
reaction rate

Density, viscosity
Thermal conductivity
Heat capacity
Reaction rate

Temperature

Energy
(Convection and Conduction, Heat transfer)
3
 METHODOLOGY
• Problem definition
– Physical Model
– Governing Equations
• Swirl Flow (Navier-Stokes) at steady state
– Model simulation using COMSOL, a finite-element based
program for simulating multiphysics interaction
• Taguchi OA L9 design of experiment
– Temperature, impeller speed and bottom distance
• WCO Transesterification
– WCO (500g)
– Oil: alcohol (1:6)
– Catalyst (1-1.5% wt oil)
 Physical Model

Bioreactor with Rushton Impeller

 METHODOLOGY (Cont’d)
Navier-Stokes Equation (- turbulent model)
Newtonian Fluid (WCO)
• Constant Density, Viscosity
• Cylindrical coordinates
Continuity Equation Momentum Equation

.v  0 
 V 
 .  UV  
 t 
Boundary Conditions
Impeller ww    r  
    pI   v+  v T
F

Cylinder surface
u  (0, 0, 0)
(open boundary)
Axial symmetry u0
Tank wall (No slip) u0
Table 1: Physical dimension of biodiesel Reactor

Reactor Property Dimension

impeller bottom clearance, C (mm) 0.11T-0.27T
Height, H (mm) 150
Tank diameter, T (mm) 130
Total Liquid Height, L (mm) 0.34T
Impeller Diameter, D (mm) 0.23T
 2D axisymmetrical
Simulation Model in COMSOL
Mesh Parameter
Wall (No Slip) Mesh element-triangular
Mesh element-5118
Liquid Surface
(Open
boundary)

Axial symmetry
Oil

Impeller
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
present work Ochieng et al, 2008

Figure 2. Comparison of
axial velocity
profile
(-) present work,

(-) Ochieng et al, 2008

 RESULTS (Cont’d)

Figure 4. Simulated mean tangential, radial and axial velocity at impeller

bottom clearance, C= 0.11T, 0.15T, 0.19T, 0.23T and 0.27T for unbaffled
 RESULTS (Cont’d)

Figure 3. Axial velocity profile for unbaffled reactor above (x=0.35T)

and below (x=0.19T) impeller at bottom distances, C (a) 0.11T (b) 0.17T
(c) 0.23T
Impeller bottom distance at 15mm
Impeller bottom distance at 20mm
Impeller bottom distance at 25mm
Impeller bottom distance at 30mm
Table 2: Result of OA L9 Taguchi designed Experiment

FAME
impeller % yield
Temp Speed
distance
(°C) (rpm)
(mm) unbaffled

60 600 20 91.73
60 650 25 93.02
60 700 30 91.45
65 600 25 91.50
65 650 30 91.54
65 700 20 89.17
70 600 30 90.27
70 650 20 91.02
70 700 25 92.39
 Main Effects Plot (data means) for SN ratios
temp speed
52.4

52.3

52.2
Mean of SN ratios

52.1

52.0
60 65 70 600 650 700
impeller distance
52.4

52.3

52.2

52.1

52.0
20 25 30
Signal-to-noise: Larger is better
Figure 5. Main effects Plot for SN ratio of experimental result
 Main Effects Plot (data means) for Means
temp speed
416

412

408
404
Mean of Means

400

60 65 70 600 650 700

impeller distance
416

412

408

404

400

20 25 30

Figure 6. Effects temperature, speed and impeller distance on mean

yield
 100 60 50
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 2
E-60°C-600-20 FAME-60°C-650-25 FAME-60°C-700-30
140
FAME-65°C-600-25 FAME-60°C-600-20
200
FAME-65°C-650-30 FAM
200 150 180 200 140

120
145 160 150 120

Total FAME
Total FAME

150 150
100 140 100
140
100 100 100
80 135 120 80

50 60 130 100 50 50 60
40 0 60 20 0 40 20 60 0
40 020
60 40 0
20 60
40 20 060 40 2

FAME-70°C-600-30 FAME-70°C-650-20
E-65°C-600-25 FAME-65°C-650-30 FAME-65°C-700-20FAM
FAME-65°C-600-25
200 160 200 140 150
150 200
150 145
Total FAME

145 140 120

Total FAME
150
150
100
140
140 120 100
50 100
100 135
135
0 100 80
0 20 40 60 0 50 20 40 60 0 2
130
130
time(min) 0 time(min) 20
50 40 60
40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40
Figure 7: WCO conversion to FAME in unbaffled reactor
FAME-70°C-600-30
E-70°C-600-30 FAME-70°C-650-20 200 FAME-70°C-700-25160
160 140
150
tal FAME

140
140 100 120
 Conclusion
The results obtained in the present work are summarized as
follows:
1. At the optimized reaction condition for WCO
transesterification the contributions of the impeller speed,
reactor temperature and impeller bottom distance on yield
were significant.
2. CFD model showed that the hydrodynamic effect was most
conspicuous at the 30 mm, whereas the impeller position
with the optimum yield was 25mm from the Taguchi design.
3. The simulation also revealed effects at the different
impeller bottom clearance for an unbaffled. This
information will be further explored for the modeling of
WCO transesterification where stirring is recommended for
an extended period beyond the earliest completion time of
reaction.
 Future thrust-3D model
1 2
Momentum Mass
(Navier-Stokes Equations) (Convection and Diffusion, Reaction)
Velocity, pressure Concentration
reaction rate

Density, viscosity
Thermal conductivity
Heat capacity
Reaction rate

Temperature

Energy
(Convection and Conduction, Heat transfer)
3
•Thank you