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Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Castor Bean as Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engine

Received: 26 December 2013     Published: 20 February 2014
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Abstract

This paper deals with the transesterification of Ricinus Communis (RC) oil with methanol to produce biodiesel in the presence of KOH as a catalyst. Moreover, this study analysis the fuel properties of RC biodiesel and diesel fuel blend to use castor oil methyl ester as a possible alternative fuel for diesel engines. Various properties of the RC biodiesel and their blends such as density, kinematic viscosity, iodine value, saponification number, Cetane number, heating value, flash point and acid value were determined. The experimental results were compared well with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D6751) and European biodiesel standards (EN 14214). The experimental design as well as statistical analysis were done and analyzed using design expert 8.0.7.1 version soft ware. The predicted optimum conditions for castor oil biodiesel production were a reaction temperature of 59.890c, methanol to oil ratio of 8.10:1 and a catalyst of 1.22 wt% of oil. The methyl ester content under these optimum conditions was 94.5% w/w of oil, and all of the measured properties of the biodiesel met the international standards of EN14214 and ASTM D 6751 with the exception of density and viscosity. Therefore, the viscosity and density of the ester was high and further reduced by blending with diesel fuel up to B45 to satisfy within the ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 limits for biodiesel.

Published in American Journal of Energy Engineering (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11
Page(s) 1-15
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Castor Seed, Castor Oil, Biodiesel, Transesterification, Blend, Response Surface Methodology

References
[1] Demirbas A., (2003), Biodiesel fuels from vegetable oils via catalytic and non-catalytic supercritical alcohol transesterification and other methods: Energy Converse Manag.44, 2093-2109.
[2] Emission Standards, European Union. Cars and light trucks [online]. Available from: http://www.dieselnet.com/standards/eu/ld.php [Accessed 2008].
[3] Lapuerta M., Armas O., and Rodriguez-Fernandez J., Effect of biodiesel fuels on diesel emissions: Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 34 (2008) 198–223.
[4] Agarwal and Das, (2001), Agarwal, A.K., and L.M. Das., (2001), Biodiesel development and characterization for use as a fuel in compression ignition engines, Journal of Engineering for Gas, Turbines and Power 123: 440-447.
[5] Mulugetta Y., (2008), Evaluating the economics of biodiesel in Africa. Renew Sust Energy Rev., 13, 1592-15989.
[6] Fangrui, M., Milford A. Hanna, ‘"biodiesel Production: A review’’, Bioresource Technology (1999), vol. 70, p. 1-15.3.
[7] Freedman B., Pryde E.H., Mounts T.L., (1984). Variables affecting the yields of fatty esters from transesterified vegetable oils: J Am Oil Chem Soc 61:1638-1984.
[8] Canoira, L., Galean, J.G., Alcantara, R., Lapuerta, M., Contreras, R.Y. (2010), Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) from castor oil: Production process assessment and synergistic effects in its properties. Renewable Energy, vol. 35, p. 208-217.
[9] Ayhan Demirbas, Biodiesel: A Realistic Fuel Alternative for Diesel Engines, Energy Technology Sila Science and Energy Trabzon Turkey, Springer, (2008).
[10] Jeong, G. T., Kim, D. H., & Park, D. H. (2007), Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 136–140, 583–594. Doi: 10.1007/s12010-007-9081.
[11] Akpan, U. G., Jimoh A.and Mohammed, A. D., (2006). Extraction, Characterization and Modification of Castor Seed Oil, Leonardo Journal of Science
[12] Salunke D. K., Desai B. B., Post-harvest Biotechnology of Oil Seeds, CRC Press, p. 161-170, 1941
[13] Lew Kowitseh J. I., Chemical Technology and Analysis of oils, Vol. 2: Fats and waxes, Macmillan, (1909)
[14] Marter A. D., Castor: Markets, Utilization and Prospects, Tropical Product Institute, G152, p. 55-78, 1981 and Weise E. A., Oil seed crops, Tropical Agriculture Series, p. 31-53, Longman, 1983
[15] Ayhan Demirbas. 2008. Relationships derived from physical properties of vegetable oil and biodiesel fuels. Fuel. 87: 1743-1748
[16] Encinar, J. M.; Juan, F.; Gonzalez, J. F.; Rodriguez-Reinares, A., (2005), Biodiesel from used frying oil: Variables affecting the yields and characteristics of the biodiesel. Ind. Eng. Chem.Res, 44 (15), 5491-5499.
[17] Silva, N. D. L. D., Maciel, M. R. W. M., Batistella, C. B., & Filho, R. M. (2006). Applied Biochemistry & Biotechnology, 129–132,405–414. Doi: 10.1385/ABAB: 130:1:405.
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  • APA Style

    Molla Asmare, Nigus Gabbiye. (2014). Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Castor Bean as Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engine. American Journal of Energy Engineering, 2(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11

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    ACS Style

    Molla Asmare; Nigus Gabbiye. Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Castor Bean as Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engine. Am. J. Energy Eng. 2014, 2(1), 1-15. doi: 10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11

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    AMA Style

    Molla Asmare, Nigus Gabbiye. Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Castor Bean as Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engine. Am J Energy Eng. 2014;2(1):1-15. doi: 10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11,
      author = {Molla Asmare and Nigus Gabbiye},
      title = {Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Castor Bean as Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engine},
      journal = {American Journal of Energy Engineering},
      volume = {2},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-15},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajee.20140201.11},
      abstract = {This paper deals with the transesterification of Ricinus Communis (RC) oil with methanol to produce biodiesel in the presence of KOH as a catalyst. Moreover, this study analysis the fuel properties of RC biodiesel and diesel fuel blend to use castor oil methyl ester as a possible alternative fuel for diesel engines. Various properties of the RC biodiesel and their blends such as density, kinematic viscosity, iodine value, saponification number, Cetane number, heating value, flash point and acid value were determined. The experimental results were compared well with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D6751) and European biodiesel standards (EN 14214). The experimental design as well as statistical analysis were done and analyzed using design expert 8.0.7.1 version soft ware. The predicted optimum conditions for castor oil biodiesel production were a reaction temperature of 59.890c, methanol to oil ratio of 8.10:1 and a catalyst of 1.22 wt% of oil.  The methyl ester content under these optimum conditions was 94.5% w/w of oil, and all of the measured properties of the biodiesel met the international standards of EN14214 and ASTM D 6751 with the exception of density and viscosity. Therefore, the viscosity and density of the ester was high and further reduced by blending with diesel fuel up to B45 to satisfy within the ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 limits for biodiesel.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Castor Bean as Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engine
    AU  - Molla Asmare
    AU  - Nigus Gabbiye
    Y1  - 2014/02/20
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11
    T2  - American Journal of Energy Engineering
    JF  - American Journal of Energy Engineering
    JO  - American Journal of Energy Engineering
    SP  - 1
    EP  - 15
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2329-163X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajee.20140201.11
    AB  - This paper deals with the transesterification of Ricinus Communis (RC) oil with methanol to produce biodiesel in the presence of KOH as a catalyst. Moreover, this study analysis the fuel properties of RC biodiesel and diesel fuel blend to use castor oil methyl ester as a possible alternative fuel for diesel engines. Various properties of the RC biodiesel and their blends such as density, kinematic viscosity, iodine value, saponification number, Cetane number, heating value, flash point and acid value were determined. The experimental results were compared well with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D6751) and European biodiesel standards (EN 14214). The experimental design as well as statistical analysis were done and analyzed using design expert 8.0.7.1 version soft ware. The predicted optimum conditions for castor oil biodiesel production were a reaction temperature of 59.890c, methanol to oil ratio of 8.10:1 and a catalyst of 1.22 wt% of oil.  The methyl ester content under these optimum conditions was 94.5% w/w of oil, and all of the measured properties of the biodiesel met the international standards of EN14214 and ASTM D 6751 with the exception of density and viscosity. Therefore, the viscosity and density of the ester was high and further reduced by blending with diesel fuel up to B45 to satisfy within the ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 limits for biodiesel.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Centre of Competence for Sustainable Energy Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

  • Centre of Competence for Sustainable Energy Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

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