COMPARATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF BIODIESELS PRODUCED BY TRANSESTERIFICATION FROM Jatropha Curcas and Thevetia Nerifolia SEEDS
ABSTRACT
Increasing scarcity of fossil resources, increasing demand for petroleum fuels as well as increasing detrimental effects of extracting and using fossil fuels suggests alternatives. Biodiesel is a renewable, environmentally friendly, socially acceptable, technologically feasible and economically viable alternative fuel for diesel engines.This study investigates the comparative characterization of biodiesels produced by transesterification from Jatrpha curcas and Thevetia nerifolia seed oil using ratio 1:5, 1:6, and 1:7 of methanol and oil and base catalyst (NaOH), at temperature of 60oC.The percentage oil and biodiesel yield and the physco-chemical properties (PH, specific gravity, viscosity and flash point) of the methyl ester biodiesels were determined. The values of the biodiesel properties obtained were compared with America (ASTM) and European (EN) biodiesel standard. The data was analyzed using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD).The result of this study shows that reaction ratio 1:5 has the highest biodiesel yield of 91%, 82% and 70% from Jatropha, Thevetia and the mixture respectively. There is a significant difference in the biodiesel yield among the three oil sources. The flash point increases with increase in the specific gravity of the biodiesels. The highest and lowest viscosity value (mm2/s) of 6.44 and 1.2 was recorded for mixture (1:7) and Jatropha (1:7) respectively. The biodiesel with the highest and lowest viscosity value and the biodiesels from thevetia (1:6 and 1:7) do not meet the ASTM and EN specifications which ranges between 1.9-6.0 and 3.5-5.0 respectively. Others meet the ASTM Specification (Table 4 and 5). Finally, the result of this study shows that Jatropha curcas and Thevetia nerifolia are good potential sources of oil for biodiesel production.
TABLE OF CONTENT Title Page--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i Certification-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ii Dedication-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------iii Acknowledgment ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------iv Abstract-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------v Table of content------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vi-xiii CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.1 Objective of the study--------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 1.2 Statement of problem----------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 1.3 Justification---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 1.4 Scope and limitation----------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 Literature review---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 2.1 What is Biodiesel? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-6 2.2 History of Biodiesel------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 vi 2.3 Research works on Biodiesel------------------------------------------------------------------------8-10 2.4 Types of Biodiesel-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12 2.4.1Virgin oil Biodiesel---------------------------------------------------------------------------------13 2.4.2 Recycled oil Biodiesel ----------------------------------------------------------------------------14 2.4.3 Yellow Grease Biodiesel--------------------------------------------------------------------------14 2.5 Sources of Biodiesel----------------------------------------------------------------------------------15 2.6 Direct use of lipid in diesel engine----------------------------------------------------------------16 2.7 Reduction of oil viscosity by transesterification process---------------------------------------17 2.8 Factor affecting biodiesel production-------------------------------------------------------------18 2.8.1 Effect of temperature------------------------------------------------------------------------------18 2.8.2Effect of water and free fatty acid content------------------------------------------------------19 2.9 Jatropha seed oil for biodiesel----------------------------------------------------------------------19 2.9.1Thevetia seed oil for biodiesel--------------------------------------------------------------------20 2.10 Properties of biodiesel-----------------------------------------------------------------------------21 2.10.1Physical properties of biodiesel----------------------------------------------------------------22 2.10.2 Viscosity------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------23 2.10.3 Flash Point----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------23 vii 2.10.4 Cetane Number-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------23 2.10.5 Cloud point and pour point---------------------------------------------------------------------23 2.10.6 Higher Combustion Efficiency of Biodiesel Fuel-------------------------------------------24 2.20 Engine Performance Tests with Biodiesel------------------------------------------------------24 2.30 Advantages of Biodiesel---------------------------------------------------------------------------25 2.30.1 Availability and Renewability of Biodiesel---------------------------------------------------26 2.30.1 Lower Emission from Biodiesel----------------------------------------------------------------26 2.30.2 Biodegradability of Biodiesel--------------------------------------------------------------------27 2.30.3 High Lubricity of Biodiesels---------------------------------------------------------------------28 2.30.4 Engine Performance Evaluation Using Biodiesel---------------------------------------------28 2.40 Disadvantage of Biodiesel ------------------------------------------------------------------------29 2.50 problems of Using Biodiesel-----------------------------------------------------------------------30 2.60 Biodiesel Impact on Economy----------------------------------------------------------------------30 2.70 Biodiesel Impact on Environment------------------------------------------------------------------32 CHAPTER THREE 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS-------------------------------------------------------------------33 3.1 MATERIALS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33 viii 3.2 Method of Oil Extraction-----------------------------------------------------------------------------33 3.3 Method of Biodiesel Production (transesterification) ------------------------------------------34 3.4 Determination-of Biodiesel Properties--------------------------------------------------------------35 3.4.1 PH determination------------------------------------------------------------------------------------35 3.4.2 Viscosity Determination----------------------------------------------------------------------------35 3.4.3 Specific gravity determination---------------------------------------------------------------------36 3.4.4 Flash Point Determination--------------------------------------------------------------------------36 3.5 Methods of Data Analysis----------------------------------------------------------------------------37 3.6 Data and result representation-----------------------------------------------------------------------38 CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION--------------------------------------------------------------------39 4.2 DISCUSSION-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------46 4.2.1Percentage Oil Yield--------------------------------------------------------------------------------46 4.2.2 PH-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------46 4.2.3 Biodiesel Yield--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------46 4.2.4 Specific Gravity-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------47 ix 4.2.5 Viscosity of the Methyl Esters---------------------------------------------------------47 4.2.6 Flash Point---------------------------------------------------------------------------------47 4.2.7 Analysis of Variance---------------------------------------------------------------------48 CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 CONCLUSION AND REMARKS------------------------------------------------------49-50 REFERENCES----------------------------------------------------------------------------------51-59
CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION The non-renewable fossil fuel resources are decreasing daily and becoming scarce. The detrimental effects resulting from mining and using fossil fuel resources are becoming unbearable. World increasing population and quest for global development in the transportation and market sector pose an increased demand for petroleum products such as (petro diesel). This consequently results to increase in the efficacies of mining and using fossil fuel resources especially the global warming. Solution to the challenges on ground is alternatives to petroleum products which must be renewable, technically feasible, economically competitive and environmentally acceptable. One current alternative is biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuels are attracting increasing attention globally as blending components or as direct replacement for diesel fuel in internal combustion engines. Biodiesel can be defined as fuel for diesel engines made from natural lipids of plants and animals and which meet the specification of ASTM D6751. In chemical term, biodiesel is defined as a fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats. In the early previous years of biodiesel production, using vegetable oils and animal fats as alternative to petrodiesel was attempted. More than 100years ago, Rudolph Diesel tested vegetable oil as the fuel for his engine. Results of these early studies revealed success in the use of vegetable oils as engine fuel based on short term engine performance tests. However, evaluation of long term engine performance showed potential hazards due to high viscosity of the oils Reid et al. (1982), Bacon et al. (1981), Schoedder (1981), and Yarbrough et al. (1981). 1 Converting to biodiesel is one of the options to reduce the viscosity of vegetable oils Paugazhabadivu et al., (2005). Attempts to reduce viscosity have led to the development of different methods such as, dilution, microemulsification, pyrolysis, catalytic cracking and transesterification. The purpose of this study is to produce biodiesels from Jathropha curcas and Thevetia nerifolia seeds oil by transesterification using different reaction ratio of oil and alcohol and compare their physical properties (PH, kinematic viscosity, flash point, and specific gravity). 1.1 Objectives Of The Study 1.2 General Objective The main objective of this study is to characterize and compare, the biodiesels produced from Jatropha curcas and Thevetia nerifolia seeds by transesterification process. Specific Objectives are; Ø To produce pure plant oil and methyl esters (biodiesels) from J.curcas and T.nerifolia seed oil by transesterification using different reaction ratios 1:5, 1:6 and 1:7 of methanol and the pure plant oil. Ø To determine the physical properties (viscosity, specific gravity, PH and flash point) of biodiesels from J.curcas, and T. nerifolia. seed oil Ø To compare the oil and methyl ester yield from J.curcas, and T. nerifolia seeds 2 Ø To compare the characteristics of the biodiesels produced from J.curcas, and T. nerifolia seed oil 1.2 Statement of Problem Herbbert theory and prediction to America Petroleum Institute in 1956 made oil companies use his theory to predict future yield of existing oil fields. His prediction of oil world peak around 2006 has made governments realized that without prompt action, a global economic crisis is inevitable. Since petroleum resources are non-renewable, hence they are susceptible to being diminished. Transportation development as well as viability and expansion of global market would be compromised as petroleum resources get diminished. Also, production and distribution of goods and services would become unrealistic scenario. Furthermore, the increasing mining activities of crude oil and increasing demand for crude oil products and their use are omens of increasing risk of global warming. All these resulting from the extraction and use of crude oil consequently pose great threat on the quality of our future lives and emphasize the urgent need of alternatives such as biodiesel. 1.3 JUSTIFICATION The prevailing and envisaged efficacies of mining and using crude oil resources call for urgent need for alternative. Biodiesel is a biofuel that is currently gaining global attention as promising alternative to petro diesel which is renewable and environmentally friendly. In 3 addition to the benefits of using biodiesel, another important requirement of biodiesel to completely replace petrol diesel is the quantity to meet the demand. This quantity is a function of the number of people or industries involved in production, their production capacity, method and raw materials used (oil source). It is therefore necessary to research into the best method and oil sources for quantitative production of biodiesel. Also, studies have shown that various oily seeds have varying biodiesel potentials. This also necessitates the need to evaluate the biodiesel potential of various oily seeds to know the highly favored ones. 1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY This study entails production of biodiesel from the seeds of Jatropha curcas and Thevetia nerifolia by transesterification process. Pure plant oils are extracted from the seeds of Jatropha curcas and Thevetia nerifolia. The oils are converted to biodiesels by reacting them with alcohol (methanol) at different ratios of 1:5, 1:6 and 1:7 using base (NaOH) catalyst. Pure plant oil yield, biodiesel yield would be determined and biodiesel physical property tests; (specific gravity, viscosity, flash point and PH) of the biodiesels would be carried out. The test values are then compared with America Standard for Test and Materials (ASTM) and European (EN) biodiesel standards. I proposed to use three different species of oil sources (Jatropha, Thevetia and Chrysophylum or Bahonea spp). But due difficulty in extracting oil from Chrysophylum and Bahonea, I used oil from Jatropha and Thevetia seeds. However, the third treatment formulated from mixture of equal volume of Jatropha and Thevetia oil to generate an analyzable data with defined experiental design (RCBD).
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