OPTIMIZATION OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM JATROPHA SEED OIL USING CALCINED EGGSHELL AS CATALYST

ABSTRACT

This work investigated the optimisation of biodiesel production from Jatropha seed oil (JSO) using a two-step transesterification process. Transesterification reactions were carried out to investigate the effects of prepared calcined waste cow bone catalyst, methanol/JSO and temperature on the yield of biodiesel. A series of experiments were conducted to determine the best conditions for biodiesel production, using methanol/oil ratio between 6:1 and 18:1, amount of catalyst between 1wt% and 3wt%, reaction temperature between 45⁰C and 63⁰Cand reaction time varying between 60mins and 120mins. Biodiesel yield of 84.6% was obtained from Jatropha seed oil (JSO) at the methanol/oil ratio of 18:1, reaction temperature of 54⁰C, reaction time of 120 mins using prepared calcined eggshell catalyst of 2wt%. The physicochemical properties of Jatropha seed oil (JSO) were analyzed to meet with ASTM standard specification. However, the viscosity of the the raw JSO was 35.4mPa.s while the viscosity of the JSO biodiesel was at 11.8mPa.s. This significant reduction in viscousity increases the chance of it’s blend with conventional biodiesel meeting the ASTM standard for biodiesel blends.