Transesterfication of Neem Seed Oil Into Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Using Na2O/CaO Catalyst
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Date
2015-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Environmental deterioration is affecting the way of living on earth. A lot of efforts are being made to reduce impact on the environment. Generating better sources for transportation fuels is part of the effort, since it reduce higher level fossil fuel consumption. Biodiesel is an alternative energy fuel to petroleum diesel with clean, renewable, biodegradability, and less exhaust emission advantage.
Ethiopia's economy is swifting, parallelly the energy demand is increasing. However, the country is completely dependent on imported petroleum fuel. The price of petroleum fuel is increasing from time to time. Therefore, there is a need to secure energy that can substitute the import and support the economic development as well.
Biodiesel can be produced from plenty of oil containing feedstock. Non edible oil seed bearing plants are the major choice for Ethiopia. Neem tree that can grow on degraded soil and/or waste land with very low input requirement is considered as a potential biodiesel feedstock based on its oil content and biodiesel yield. In addition, the tree can provide a lot of socioeconomic importance for the community around the plantation site.
In this study, oil content of Neem seed was found to be 42% with 15% FFA. Neem oil free fatty acid reduction screening was conducted via acid treatment. Successfully, FFA was reduced to 0.375% by 0.60% v/v sulfuric acid to oil ratio and 60ml CH3OH.
Heterogeneous catalyst (Na2O/CaO) loading screening based on fatty acid methyl ester yield was performed; higher yield (84.73 %) was obtained at 40% wt/wt Na2O/CaO loading. Acid treated Neem oil was subjected to heterogeneous catalyzed transesterfication reaction.
Transesterfication reaction input process variables: reaction temperature, catalyst to oil
weight ratio, and methanol to oil molar ratio optimum point were determined to provide maximum fatty acid methyl ester yield with central composite design, which end up in agreement with the real process data. Thus, maximum yield of 92.80% was obtained at 580C temperature, 11.71% methanol to oil molar ratio, and 8.50% catalyst to oil weight
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ratio. Physico-chemical characteristics of fatty acid methyl ester was determined and found to be within the standard limit.
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Physico-chemical characteristics