Biodiesel produced by transesterification process from vegetable oils or animal fats is viewed as a promising renewable energy source. Now a day’s diminishing of petroleum reserves in the ground and increasing environmental pollution prevention and regulations have made searching for renewable oxygenated energy sources from biomasses. Biodiesel is non-toxic, renewable, biodegradable, environmentally benign, energy efficient and diesel substituent fuel used in diesel engine which contributes minimal amount of global warming gases such as CO, CO2, SO2, NOX, unburned hydrocarbons, and particulate matters. The chemical composition of the biodiesel was examined by help of GC-MS and five fatty acid methyl esters such as methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, methyl linoleate and methyl linoleneate were identified. The variables that affect the amount of biodiesel such as methanol/oil molar ratio, mass weight of catalyst and temperature were studied. In addition to this the physicochemical properties of the biodiesel such as (density, kinematic viscosity, iodine value high heating value, flash point, acidic value, saponification value, carbon residue, peroxide value and ester content) were determined and its corresponding values were 87 Kg/m3, 5.63 Mm2/s, 39.56 g I/100g oil, 42.22 MJ/Kg, 132oC, 0.12 mgKOH/g, 209.72 mgKOH/g, 0.04%wt, 12.63 meq/kg, and 92.67 wt% respectively. The results of the present study showed that all physicochemical properties lie within the ASTM and EN biodiesel standards. Therefore, mango seed oil methyl ester could be used as an alternative to diesel engine.
Process Simulation of Biodiesel Production from Jatropha Curcas Seed Oil