BOX–BENKHEN DESIGN (BBD) TOWARDS OPTIMIZATION ON CO-LIQUEFACTION OF MUKAH BALINGIAN SUB-BITUMINOUS MALAYSIAN COAL AND JATROPHA CURCAS SEEDS

Abstract

In order to reach maximum conversion and oil yield, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the process on co-liquefaction of Mukah Balingian coal (MB coal) and Jatropha curcas seed (JC seed) using 20 mL tubing reactor. Parameters involved are ratio of JC seed-to-MB coal, reaction times and temperature. The RSM based on Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed for the optimization conditions towards conversion and oil yield. The effect of ratio, temperature and time were illustrated in perturbation plot. Based on linear term, ratio JC seed-to- MB coal with highest F-Value of 3760.08 and 1543.13 shows the greatest effect on the conversion and oil yield. There are good agreement between the actual and predicted values of conversion and oil yield. By increasing ratio of JC seeds-to-MB coal (20/80 to 80/20 ratio of JC/MB) and temperature (360 to 420 °C) with actual time of 75 min, the conversion increased from 25 to 74%. By increasing temperature (360 to 420 °C) and times (15 to 75 min) with actual 80/20 ratio of JC seeds-to-MB coal, the oil yield increased from 12 to 54%. Thus, the suggested optimum conditions for conversion were at 420 °C with 20/80 ratio of JC/MB and 75 min that reached 74% and the optimum conditions for oil yield were at 420 °C with 20/80 ratio of JC/MB and 54 min that reached 54%. Both suggested optimum conditions have desirability of 1.000.