Thesis Abstract

Abstract
The increasing global demand for sustainable energy sources has led to a growing interest in biodiesel as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. This thesis focuses on the design and optimization of a sustainable process for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. The project aims to address environmental concerns associated with waste cooking oil disposal and the need for renewable energy sources. The research begins with a comprehensive review of the literature to understand the current state of biodiesel production, the challenges faced, and the potential opportunities for improvement. This literature review covers various aspects such as feedstock selection, process technologies, catalysts, and optimization strategies. In the methodology section, the research approach is detailed, including the selection of equipment, experimental procedures, data collection methods, and analytical techniques. The study employs a combination of experimental work and computer simulations to optimize the biodiesel production process. Various parameters such as temperature, reaction time, catalyst concentration, and feedstock quality are investigated to enhance the process efficiency and product quality. The findings from the research are discussed in detail in the results chapter, highlighting the key outcomes, trends, and insights obtained from the experiments and simulations. The discussion covers aspects such as the yield of biodiesel, quality characteristics, process efficiency, and environmental impact assessment. The conclusion chapter summarizes the main findings of the study, emphasizing the significance of the research in contributing to the field of sustainable energy production. The research demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing waste cooking oil as a feedstock for biodiesel production and provides insights into optimizing the process parameters for improved efficiency and product quality. Overall, this thesis contributes to the advancement of sustainable energy solutions by proposing a viable and efficient process for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. The findings offer valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders interested in promoting renewable energy sources and mitigating environmental impact.

Thesis Overview

The project titled "Design and Optimization of a Sustainable Process for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil" aims to address the significant environmental and economic challenges associated with the disposal of waste cooking oil while also contributing to the sustainable production of biodiesel—a renewable and cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels. This research project focuses on developing an efficient and environmentally friendly process to convert waste cooking oil into biodiesel, thereby promoting waste valorization and reducing the reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The research will commence with a comprehensive literature review to explore existing methods and technologies for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. This review will provide insights into the current state-of-the-art techniques, challenges, and opportunities in the field, serving as a foundation for the subsequent phases of the project. The methodology section of the research will detail the experimental setup, procedures, and analytical techniques to be employed in the design and optimization of the biodiesel production process. This will involve laboratory-scale experiments to investigate the effects of various parameters such as catalyst type, reaction temperature, and reaction time on the yield and quality of biodiesel obtained from waste cooking oil. The findings of the research will be presented and discussed in detail in the results and discussion chapter. This section will highlight the key outcomes of the experimental work, including the optimized process conditions for maximizing biodiesel yield and quality, as well as the techno-economic analysis of the proposed process in comparison to conventional methods of biodiesel production. In conclusion, the research will provide valuable insights into the design and optimization of a sustainable process for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. The project aims to contribute to the advancement of green technologies for energy production, waste management, and environmental sustainability. By converting waste cooking oil into a valuable resource such as biodiesel, this research has the potential to address both environmental concerns and energy security issues, paving the way for a more sustainable future.