Study of some parameters in the biodiesel production from Jatropha oil using base catalyzed transesterification

Issue Date

2009

Abstract

A parametric study on biodiesel production using methanol and ethanol as reacting alcohols and sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide as base catalysts was done to evaluate the effect of varying the amount of catalyst and alcohol on the alkyl ester production by transesterification. The results were expressed as volumetric yield and verified by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) which determined the acyl-glycerol profile of the biodiesel produced. The results showed that the biodiesel crude volumetric yield increases at increasing oil to alcohol and oil to catalyst ratio but only until a certain point. Once the optimum oil to alcohol to catalyst molar ratio was reached, additional alcohol and catalyst remained only as unreacted excess. At increasing oil to catalyst molar ratio, increasing soap production was also observed but not for all combinations. Based on the TLC chromatograms, the amount of alkyl ester increases at increasing reaction time. 75 minutes was chosen as the optimum reaction time using 1:8:0.2 oil to methanol to NaOH molar ratio which produced 98.03% methyl ester at ambient temperature. While 75 minutes was chosen as the reaction time for 1:8:0.5 oil to methanol to KOH molar ratio at ambient temperature which produced 98.23% methyl ester. 1:8:0.2 oil to ethanol to KOH molar ratio produced 98.06% ethyl ester after 3.5 hours.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Journal of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

ISSN

0119-7312

Volume

7

Issue

2009

Page

51-58

Document Type

Article

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Physical Description

tables

Language

English

Subject

Biofuels

En – AGROVOC descriptors

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS; METHANOL; SODIUM HYDROXIDE; THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY; ESTERIFICATION; ETHANOL; DIESEL ENGINES; PROCESSING; JATROPHA CURCAS; PRODUCTION; BIOFUELS

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS