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Biodiesel - the new-age fuel

St. Stephen’s College, DelhiQuest 2007

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Alternative fuels

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•Soya bean•Sunflower•Linseed

•Jatropha •Pongamia

Natural Oils

Biodiesel

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Jatropha curcas

• Found in Tanzania, Venezuela and India.• Grown on marginal lands.

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Jatropha Oil extraction

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Jatropha Oil - Composition

Fatty acid weight %

Oleic acid 44.7

Linoleic acid 31.4

Palmitic acid 15.1

Stearic acid 7.1

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COOMe

COOMeStearic acid methyl ester

Palmitic acid methyl ester

Linoleic acid methyl ester

Oleic acid methyl ester

COOMe

COOMe

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Transesterification of oils

• Chemical methods – Acid or Base catalysed

• Biochemical methods – Enzyme catalysed

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Acid Catalyzed TransesterificationCommonly used acids: H2SO4/ HCl

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Base catalyzed transesterification

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Comparisons

Base catalysis is preferred:1) 4000 times as fast.2) Use of KOH gives useful side

product.3) Acids are corrosive.

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Limitations of chemical methods

• Require more energy.• Formation of soap inhibits

transesterification.• Disposal of waste water.

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Enzyme catalysed methods

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Lipases

• Biocatalysts are biodegradable.

• Consume less energy.

• No soap formation.• Further purification of

biodiesel not required.• Can be used for oils

with high free fatty acid content.

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Parameters investigated• Oil : Methanol ratio• Reaction temperature• Reaction time

Interesting results!!

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Optimum Molar Ratio (Oil: Methanol)

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Optimum temperature

Maximum % yield at 50°C

Time taken : 92 hrs.

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Summary of results

Optimum molar ratio 1:3

Optimum temperature

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Enzyme wt. 5% w.r.t wt of oil

Time 92h

Conversion 80%

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• Biodegradable• Low emission profile• Low toxicity• Better fuel

efficiency • High lubricity

Advantages of using Biodiesel

20Kuvempu University, Shimoga, Karnataka

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Bio-bus

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Algae-biodiesel

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References

• www.treehugger.com• ‘Biocatalytic preparation of Biodiesel

from Jatropha oil’ – Summer research project undertaken by Ms. Sonia Muliyil in the Kinetics Laboratory, IIT Chennai.

• The Hindu (online edition), Sunday, July 10 2005

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Acknowledgements

•Prof. Anju Chadha and all members, Kinetics laboratory, IIT Chennai.

•Dr. Bikram Phookun, Department of Physics, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.