Process Optimization of Methanol Application in Biodiesel Production

Fast depletion of worlds fossil oil reserves and increasing environmental degradation has created a greatdemand for environmentally benign renewable and sustainable energy resources.Biodiesel is a renewable energy substitute to fossil diesel for use in compression ignition engines. However, the cost of production of biodiesel is too high, making it less economically competitive compared to fossil diesel. Application of excess methanol has been identified as one of the major cost of production. An investigation into the optimum quantity of methanol requires for transesterification was conducted by producing biodiesel from Jatropha curcas seed oil and methanol in the ratio of 1:3, 1:4.5, 1:6, 1:7.5, 1:9. 1:10.5 and 1:12 oil to methanol using alumina supported calcium oxide catalyst. It was found that the yield obtained from mole ratio of 1:3 oil to methanol was 93.31% which was third highest yield. Thehighest was obtained from mole ratio of 1:9 which was 97.89%.The study also found that the catalyst used suppressed the production of co-product, glycerol.