Date

5-2009

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Rex B. Demafelis

Co-adviser

Laura J. Pham

Committee Member

Maria Christina V. Mahilum, Amelia E. Parao

Abstract

In this study, the effect of a commercial antioxidant and container type in the storage stability of Jatropha Methyl Ester (JME) was examined. The samples were subjected to different antioxidant loadings of 115, 345, and 575ppm and were stored under ambient condition. There were also samples without antioxidant which served as controls. Then, the samples were stored in different container types-carbon steel, HDPE plastic and aluminum. There were samples that were exposed to air and the other were stored in tightly sealed containers. The storage period was eight weeks with analysis of the samples every other week. The parameters that were measured include peroxide value (PV), percent free fatty acid(% FFA), and viscosity. PV measures the level of hydroperoxide formation in samples that have undergone the oxidation process. Results of this study showed how antioxidant limited the hydroperoxide formation in JME samples. Based only on PV, the effective loading is 345ppm for samples stored in HDPE plastic and Aluminum containers: while for sample stored in carbon steel containers, 575ppm loading may be more effective. Another parameter measured was the % FFA(by wt.) of the samples. Within the eight-week storage period, no significant increase was observed in the measured % FFA of the samples and all of which still conformed top the ASTM standard of 0.3% maximum. Lastly, the viscosites of the samples were measured at 25°C. This parameter may increase greatly depending on the products formed during oxidation. Since samples were only stored under ambient condition polymer formation did not occur and the increase in viscosities of the samples were only small. On the end of the storage period, the viscosity of the samples at 40°C were also measured to check if each sample still conforms to the ASTM standard of1.2 to 6mm²/s. Those samples without antioxidant and those with only 115ppm loading had exceeded the maximum limit, while most of those samples with 345 and 575ppm loadings were still within the ASTM standard.

Language

English

LC Subject

Parametric study, Biodiesel, Jatropha--Economic aspects

Call Number

LG 993.5 2009 E62 C36

Document Type

Thesis

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