Characterization and Optimization of Biodiesel Production From Mexican Poppy (Argemone Mexicana)
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Biodiesel production has generated heated debate on energy security for food crisis. This debate has changed the direction of biodiesel research into the use of non-edible oil sources referred to as second generation biodiesel feedstock. Ethiopia despite having high potential of various non-edible oily plant species, only very few non edible sources of biodiesel are known compared to the number of non-edible oily plant species identified. Thus, exploration of cheap and non-edible sources of biodiesel such as Argemone Mexicana can help to increase the production and use of biodiesel. This plant has invaded many ecosystems and communities in Ethiopia.
However, due to lack of research and skill, there was a gap to find optimum conditions and properties of newly identified non-edible oil plant of oil methyl ester. Therefore, the objectives of the present study was to find a way of converting this invasive plant to useable form for the society which was affected by A. Mexicana by converting the seed oil to biodiesel production, characterization of the oil and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). After the seed samples were collected and purified, the physicochemical and instrumental parameters were determined. The biodiesel was produced by heterogeneous CaO catalyst from A. mexicana oil through transesterification method. Experimental design using design expert 7.0.0 software were implemented to identify the oil yield, the effects of different process parameters for FAME production and to find the optimum conditions to maximize the yield of FAME. A total of 40 % yield of oil was extracted and converted into methyl ester by the process of transesterification. The physicochemical studies and the comparisons revealed that transesterification improved the important fuel properties. The best performance result was obtained at a catalyst concentration of 1.0%, molar ratio 9:1 and reaction time of 1 hr, while the reaction temperature and agitation speed was set at 600C and 600 rpm. The FAME yield obtained from transesterification process ranged from 56.3 to 91.2% while the optimum result was found 93% from the design expert software. The results showed that transesterification improved the important fuel properties testes which were relatively closer value with the ASTM and EN standards.
Key words: Biodiesel production, Argemone Mexican , transesterification, FAME
Description
Keywords
Biodiesel production, Argemone Mexican, Transesterification, FAME