Process Engineering

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Browsing Process Engineering by Author "Adamu, Esubalew"

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    Biodiesel Production from Jatropha Oil Using Ethanol with Alkali Catalyst
    (Addis Ababa University, 2011-07) Adamu, Esubalew; Sokol, Walter (Prof.)
    The jatropha oil was extracted using solvent extraction and mechanical pressing. The extracted oil was refined through degumming and neutralization followed by washing and drying. The acid value, amount of free fatty acid, saponification value and flash point of the extracted jatropha oil were determined. The biodiesel was produced from jatropha oil using anhydrous ethanol (99.4% w/w) anhydrous NaOH catalyst (97% w/w). The experimental design was done in two parts. The first one was done for one factor of four levels to establish the parameters influence independently on biodiesel yield. To determine the temperature effect, experiments were done at temperatures of 35 o o o o C, 55 C, 65 C and 75 C. Similarly, to investigate the effect of amount of catalyst, experiments were done at 0.25% (w/w), 0.5% (w/w), 1% (w/w) and 2% (w/w) of NaOH catalyst. In addition, to determine the influence of molar ratio of alcohol to oil, molar ratios of 6:1, 8:1, 10:1 and 12:1 were used. In the second of the experimental design, the full factorial, was done for the three factors at two levels and two replicas at a temperature of 55 o o C and 65 C, molar ratio of alcohol to oil 6:1 and 8:1, and the amount of catalyst required was 0.5% (w/w) and 1% (w/w), which were used to investigate the effects of the three parameters and their interaction simultaneously on biodiesel yield. It was found that the standardized effect of molar ratio of alcohol to oil had the highest effect whereas the least effect was observed at the interaction of temperature and alcohol. The standardized effect of the interaction of all the three parameters together was greater than the temperature effect alone. The average maximum biodiesel yield was 83.6% (w/w) at 55 o C, 8:1 molar ratio of alcohol to oil and 1% (w/w) NaOH catalyst amount. On the other hand, the average minimum biodiesel yield was 64.9% (w/w) at 65 o C, 6:1 molar ratio and 0.5% (w/w) catalyst amount. The viscosity, density, flash point, acid value, saponification value, moisture content and ash content of the produced biodiesel were determined. These properties were matched with ASTM specifications except viscosity which was slightly higher than ASTM limit.