Characterization and Process Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Croton Macrostachyus ‘besana’ Seed using KOH Catalyst
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Date
2018-07
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Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Energy security, socioeconomic aspect, and environmental concern are the major arising factor to
be considered while selecting the source of energy in today's word including Ethiopia. The rising
cost of petroleum fuels, depletion of reserves and strict world protocols on exhaust emissions have
also necessitated the need for replacement of petroleum fuels with less polluting, readily available
and renewable sources of fuels for automobile and industrial engines. This enforces the worlds to
look over the biofuel as a major substitute for mineral fuel sources. Production of biodiesel from
non-edible feedstocks is attracting more attention than in the past, for the purpose of manufacturing
alternative fuels without interfering with the food chain. Among those non-edible feedstocks,
croton macrostachyus seed is another option and which is newly identified feedstock which is
indigenous in Ethiopia. The seed was collected from the southeastern part of the country and
solvent oil extraction method was selected to extract oil from croton seed. The study aimed at
optimizing the biodiesel production process experimentally by varying catalyst concentration,
reaction temperature and the molar ratio of methanol to oil. These process parameters were
optimized by using design expert software. The optimum conversion efficiency of croton oil to
fatty acid methyl ether (FAME) obtained was 96% at the optimal condition of 6:1 methanol to oil
ratio, 1% catalyst loading, and 50
XI
o
C reaction temperature. The properties of croton methyl-ether
which were determined fell within the recommended standards. Oil content of the seed was found
53.34% which is beyond estimated value before this study. The main physicochemical properties
of biodiesel production from croton oil were characterized and evaluated according to the
minimum requirement of international standard (ASTM and EN). It was found that croton
biodiesel viscosity 4.613mm
2
/s, density 0.854g/cm
3
, calorific value 39.889MJ/kg, flash point
220
o
c, iodine value 107.084mgI/gm and FFA 0.435 mg KOH/gm. The results indicated that the
properties of fatty acid methyl ether obtained from Croton macrostachyus seed were agreed with
the standard specification of the ASTM and EN. In addition, the oil content of croton seed was
observed that 53.34% which is beyond estimated value before. Finally from this study croton seed
was discovered as new biodiesel feedstock and extend the choice of feedstock.
Description
Keywords
Croton Macrostachyus, Biodiesel, Transesterification, Homogeneous base catalyst, Surface Response methodology, Design expert software, Box- Behnken