Response Surface Method in One Step Optimization of Methyl Esterification of Tung Oil and Contrastive Analysis with Two Step Process

摘要

With the conversion efficiency of tung oil methyl esterification as judgement index, univariate analysis for three main influencing factors, dosage of KOH and methanol, reaction time, were studied and optimized with response surface method to build a model in the one step methyl esterification of tung oil. Test and verify of this model were completed. The result showed that when dosage of KOH and methanol, time corresponded to 0.80g, 54.80g and 60min, the efficiency of tung oil methyl esterification was 94.52%. This result was only 4.72% lower than the predicted value from the model, which meant that the model was reliable to predict actual process. The efficiency of tung oil methyl esterification under two step process was 95.12%. There was little difference with one step process. But the total material cost of the optimized one step process was 1.76% less than that of the optimized two step process, and the reaction time was only need 1/4 that of two process. At the same time, operating process of one step was more simple and convenient. So, one step process for tung oil methyl esterification may be more cost-effective in industrial production.