Optimization of Oil Recovery from Japonica Luna Rice Bran by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Applying Design of Experiments: Characterization of the Oil and Mass Transfer Modeling

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

 

The study was focused on the determination of optimal process parameters for oil recovery from Japonica Luna rice bran by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) using an optimization strategy based on the design of experiments (DoE). Finally, three mass transfer models were applied to determine the mass transfer coefficients and assess the cumulative extraction curves. Interesting paper, however, the formal quality of the manuscript is insufficient.

  

 

Comments:

 

1. Equation numbering  - lines 161, 183, 184, 186, 187 etc.

The equations should be numbered sequentially and in ascending order.

 

2. Unit of extraction yield in Eq. (43)

The unit of extraction yield e in Eq. (43) should be presented in the next paragraph (line189 and higher).

 

3. Line 269 - model analysis for FFD

The R-squared values are presented and predicted values are shown in Figures 1, 2, and 2a. However, the model used for data treatment is not presented. The polynomial model was probably used, but this fact has to be presented.

 

4. Caption of Figures 1, 2a, and 2b

The red, blue, green, and yellow points are presented, however, the explanation is missing in the caption of the given figures.

The presented data were obtained using FFD; this fact should be mentioned in the caption also.

Graph axes: the units of properties (response factors) should be presented.

 

5. Line 294 “All terms (independent variables) were significant since the p-values were less than 294 0.05 (at the 5% probability level), and only values < 0.100 were insignificant.”

The meaning of this sentence (the second part especially) is not clear to me.

 

6. Line 298 – Eq. (11)

Eq. (11) is a dimensional equation. Therefore, the units of pressure and temperature should be presented.

 

7. Eqs. (12) and (13)  -units

The “flavonoids” and “TPC” are dimensional properties. Therefore, the units for presented values should be presented.

 

8. Line 235 - the analytical solution of 235 Eqs 8 and 9 is well documented

The analytical solutions used for data treatment should be presented, regardless of presentation in other papers.

 

9. Line 240 - the initial faction of solute in broken cells r = 1-q_s/q_o.

Printing error – missing letter probably “faction”, probably it should be “fraction”.

The meaning of q_s is missing.

 

10. Tan and Liou's model

Line 205 – Eq. (76) – the mass transfer coefficient for the Tan and Liou model is marked as k_d.

Line 365 – Table 6 – the mass transfer coefficient for the Tan and Liou model is marked as k_i.

The notation should be unified.

The interfacial concentration of the solute q* used for calculation is not presented.

 

11. BIC model – Sovová (1994)

The model parameter, the initial content of the difficult accessible solute in the solid q_k, used for calculation is not presented.

 

12. BIC model modified – Sovová (2005)

The model parameters fraction r and q_s used for calculation are not presented.

 

13. Formal comment

Line 207 – unit (kg.kg-1) upper index 

 

 

Author Response

Please see the file.

Thank you

José Coelho

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear Editor, Dear Authors

 

The manuscript entitled „Optimization of the oil recovery from Japonica Luna rice bran by supercritical carbon dioxide applying design of experiments. Characterization of the oil and mass transfer modelling” is a valuable study in the field of chemistry and biotechnology.

 

This paper describes an optimization strategy for recovery of oil from Japonica Luna rice bran by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), based on design of experiments (DoE).

 

As the reviewer is obliged to pay attention to the the following elements:

 

- please explain the abbreviations As and Cs in Equation 1;

 

- line 145: why did the authors decide to utilize methanolic KOH to produce FAME. There are many different methods for FAME generation, please explain it briefly in manuscript;

 

- line 148: it is not clear to me why the authors use the abbr. DS-11 for Design-Expert 11 software.

 

- there is a general problem with numbering the equations in manuscript, please correct it;

 

- line 279 and 288: write scCO2 flow rather than CO2 flow;

 

- Figure 3: explain the meaning of these pink and red dots on the plot or remove them if You do not want to describe them;

 

- are Eqs 12 and 13 correct?

 

- line 366: write scCO2 rather than SC-CO2

 

 

The work is written honestly and understandably. The research is within the scope of the chosen special issue.

 

I recommend this manuscript for publication in ChemEngineering after minor revision.

Author Response

Please see the file.

Thank you

José Coelho

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf