3.2.4. Reaction time
To obtain the optimum reaction time, the conversion of
microalgal oil was investigated under the aforementioned optimized
reaction condition of catalyst concentration of 0.5%
(w/w), reaction temperature of 60 C and CH3OH to oil molar
ratio of 7:1 as represented in Fig. 4. The reaction time is varied
from 0 to 180 min. the ME yield started increasing from 0 min
and becomes maximum at 60 min. Further increase in reaction
time did not affect the ME yield because the conversion of oil
into ME yield was completed. Thus, the maximum ME yield
was obtained in 60 min.
On the basis of results obtained, the optimum conditions
for ME production from microalgal C. protothecoides are compiled
in Table 3.
The above table concludes that 97.66% ME yield was
obtained under the reaction conditions of catalyst conc. of
0.5% (w/w), methanol to oil molar ratio of 7:1, reaction temperature
of 60 C and reaction time of 60 min.