Date of Award
2008
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Engineering Science
Program
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Supervisor
Dr. Ernest K. Yanful
Second Advisor
Dr. Maurice A Bergougnou
Abstract
In this work an effort has been made to produce an environment friendly and renewable fuel (biodiesel) from an inedible vegetable oil (Jatropha curcas oil), which can be a substitute feedstock of traditional food crops for biodiesel production. This is a bench scale feasibility study. Here, unsupported potassium carbonate was used as a catalyst. Researching the potential and the behavior of potassium carbonate is very important because every biomass contains this compound in a significant amount. It can be extracted by using classical extraction or leaching technologies. During the biodiesel production reaction, the formation of soap as a byproduct was also monitored using the FTIR-ATR method. After a series of experiments, 6 wt% unsupported catalyst, 6:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 65°C and 600 rpm were selected to be the optimum reaction parameters, that are able to produce quality biodiesel.
Recommended Citation
Baroi, Chinmoy, "BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM JATROPHA CURCAS OIL" (2008). Digitized Theses. 4139.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4139