Biodiesel conversion from high FFA crude jatropha curcas, calophyllum inophyllum and ceiba pentandra oil

• Main Authors: Silitonga, A.S., Ong, H.C., Mahlia, T.M.I., Masjuki, H.H., Chong, W.T.
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://dspace.uniten.edu.my/jspui/handle/123456789/6130

Biodiesel is a renewable energy that has great potential as an alternative fuel to fossil diesel in diesel engine. The potential non-edible feedstock for biodiesel is now being taken into careful consideration for the purpose of continuing biodiesel production while not negatively affecting the food issue. The crude jatropha curcas, calophyllum inophyllum and ceiba pentandra oil have free fatty acid value which is above 2%. Therefore, a pretreatment acid catalyzed esterification process is required to reduce the free fatty acid content. It was found that jatropha curcas, calophyllum inophyllum and ceiba pentandra oil at 9:1 M ratio (methanol to oil) with preheat at 60oC and reaction at temperature 55oC for 60 minutes in the presence of 1% KOH in order to get lower acid values (0.39 mg KOH/g, 0.45 mg KOH/g and 0.40 mg KOH/g) and obtained high methyl ester yield (98.23%, 98.53% and 97.72%). This study had shown that improvement in biodiesel properties by using two stage esterification-T ransesterification methods. The major fuel characteristics such as kinematic viscosity, density, flash point and calorific value of biodiesel fulfilled American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) biodiesel standards. © 2014 The Authors.