Extraction of Bio - diesel from Jatropha Oil by Transesterification Process

Biodiesel is an alternative source of fuel; it has an energy content of about 12% less than petroleum-based diesel fuel on a mass basis. Various methods are currently employed in the manufacture of Biodiesel. The adopted process utilizes Jatropa oil and methanol as its principal raw materials and uses NaOH as its catalyst. The advantage this catalyst holds is that it yields Biodiesel product. Considering the fact that the consumption and demand for the petroleum products are increasing every year due to increase in population, standard of living and urbanization.The increase in crude oil import affects the country’s economy and its development. Today’s diesel engines require a clean burning, stable fuel that performs well under the variety of operating conditions. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that can be used directly in any existing unmodified diesel engine. Because it has similar properties to diesel fuel, biodiesel can be blended at any ratio with diesel fuel. INTRODUCTION The prices of fuel are going up day after day in the world. So, ways and means have been sought for many years to be able to produce oil-substitute fuel. Biodiesel extracted from vegetable oil is one such renewable alternative under consideration. The production of biodiesel would be cheap as it could be extracted from nonedible oil sources. Jatropha curcas (Linaeus), a non-edible oil-bearing and droughthardy shrub with ecological advantages, belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, was found to be the most appropriate renewable alternative source of biodiesel. The extracted oil could not be used directly in diesel engines because of its high viscosity. High viscosity of pure vegetable oils would reduce the fuel atomization and increase fuel spray penetration, which would be responsible for high engine deposits and thickening of lubricating oil. The use of chemically altered or transesterified vegetable oil called biodiesel does not require modification in engine or injection system or fuel lines and is directly possible in any diesel engine. Pure biodiesel (B100) can be used in any petroleum diesel engine, though it is more commonly used in lower concentrations. Since biodiesel is more often used in a blend with petroleum diesel, there are fewer formal studies about the effects on pure biodiesel in unmodified engines and vehicles in day-to-day use. Fuel which meets the standards and engine parts that can withstand the greater solvent properties of biodiesel are expected to and in reported cases does run without any additional problems than the use of compared to petroleum diesel. METHODOLOGY. In this process, jatropha oil is blended with alcohol and catalyst mixture in transesterification equipment. The equipmentis kept at reaction temperature for specific duration with vigorous agitation. After reaction, the biodiesel and glycerol mixture is sent to the glycerol settling tank. The crude biodiesel is collected and washed to get pure biodiesel. Depending upon the need, the size of the unit can be scaled up to get higher production capacity BIODIESEL PRODUCTION PROCESS OPTIONS BATCH PROCESSING. The simplest method for producing alcohol esters is to use a batch, stirred tank International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT) ISSN: 2278-0181 Published by, www.ijert. org ETDM 2017 Conference Proceedings Volume 5, Issue 07 Special Issue 2017