Abstract

STUDIES ON BIODIESEL: A PLANT OIL BASED RENEWABLE FUEL

Sanju Kumari, Viveka Kaur, Arun Kumar and Tej Pratap Singh*

ABSTRACT

In the present investigations we see that developing countries are looking towards biofuels as an energy substitute for fossil fuels and biodiesel is one of the most promising biofuel that can fulfil our energy needs in future. Biodiesel is produced from oil carrying plants and this paper studies about production of biodiesel from jatropha curcas. Jatropha biodiesel is obtained by Jatropha oil and gets its energy from the bonds found in fatty acid methyl esters. The oil found in jatropha seeds can be converted into a superior quality diesel fuel. The jatropha seeds are processed to get oil which on trans-esterification reaction with alkyl alcohol gives biodiesel. The quality of biodiesel produced is analysed by its properties like pour point, cetane number, octane number, flash point, fire point, saponification value, acid value, density, kinematic viscosity, calorific value, iodine value. The paper
studies about production of jatropha biodiesel and compares the properties of jatropha biodiesel with conventional biodiesel, so that jatropha biodiesel can be used in standard diesel engines without modifications.

Keywords: Trans-esterification reaction, jatropha curcas, fatty acid methyl esters, cetane number.