Kinetic modeling and optimization of sunflower oil methanolysis catalyzed by spherically-shaped CaO/γ-Al2O3 catalyst

Kinetic modeling and optimization of sunflower oil methanolysis catalyzed by spherically-shaped CaO/γ-Al2O3 particles were conducted in batch stirred and packed-bed tubular reactors at 60 °C. The proposed three-parameter kinetic model describing the overall reaction with a variable mechanism was successfully applied to both batch and continuous reactions. The process optimization was done using the response surface methodology combined with a central composite design. The obtained optimal catalyst concentration, methanol-to-oil molar ratio and reaction time for the batch reaction were 0.55% (CaO to the oil), 9:1 and 5.22 h, respectively. In the continuous process, the catalyst was highly active stable and slightly leachable during 30 h. The deactivation of the catalyst was due to massive deposition of the organic molecules from the reaction mixture, which sheltered the catalytically active sites on the catalyst surface.