Effect of Raw Material on Physical Properties and Yield of Biodiesel

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Effect of Raw Material on Physical Properties and
Yield of Biodiesel

• S.R Malik, Humbul Suleman and J.R Khan
• Symposium of Engineering Sciences
• Punjab University, Lahore
• Dated 30th April 2009

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Contents

• Introduction
• Scope of Experimentation
• Parameters studied
• Selected Raw Materials
• Nomenclature of Results
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusion

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Biodiesel

• Bio-diesel is a renewable and environmentally
  friendly fuel, which is produced from vegetable
  oil or animal fat through a chemical process

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Uses of Biodiesel

• It may be used in fossil diesel as a
• Direct Substitute (rarely done)
• Extender / Mixing Component (mostly performed)
• Additive

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Nature of Biodiesel

• Bio-diesel is standardized only as mono-alkyl
  ester and other kinds of diesel-grade fuels of
  biological origin are not included.

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Scope of Experimentation

• Most of the experimental work has been done on
  unused or used vegetable oils and the prospect of
  refined and crude oils has not been well
  investigated.
• Using crude oils for bio-diesel production,
  instead of their refined counterparts, could save
  enough time and money but it should not
  effectively compromise on the quality or
  standards.

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Parameters studied

• Kinematic Viscosity at 40oC
• Specific Gravity
• Cloud Point
• Pour Point
• Percentage Yield
• Color of the Product

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Selected Raw Materials

• We have performed the experiments on two of the
  commonly available vegetable oils
• Canola Oil
• Cottonseed Oil.
• Both refined and crude forms of oils have been
  taken from independent sources.

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Nomenclature for Results
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Results
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Viscosity

• The type of raw material greatly affects the
  viscosity. The refined sample of oil is found to
  have lesser viscosity. This may be attributed to
  impurities present in parent sample. The bio
  diesel produced from crude canola oil is more
  viscous than its refined type by 3. Similarly,
  The bio diesel produced from crude cottonseed oil
  is more viscous than its refined type by 7.5

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Specific Gravity

• The type of raw material does not affect the
  density profoundly. The comparison between two
  batches B1 and B2 show no difference whereas B3
  and B4 have slight difference. The glycerine
  by-product shows similar results and further
  nullifies any effect of nature (refined/crude) of
  the raw material on the density.

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Cloud / Pour point

• The bio diesel produced from refined and crude
  samples do not have any difference for their
  cloud and pour points.

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Yield

• The bio diesel produced from refined oils have
  greater yields than crude oils . An increase in
  yield (0.8) for canola oil is reported.
  Similarly, 1.6 increase in yield is reported for
  cottonseed oil. On the other hand, the amount of
  glycerine (by-product) remains same. The balance
  is formed soap that is washed away during washing
  process.

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Comparison of Bio diesel Produced from Canola
Cottonseed Oil

• The Bio diesel Produced from canola oil has
  lesser viscosity as compared to produced from
  cottonseed oil which is a more desirable
  characteristic for substitute of diesel oil.
• It also possesses better cloud and pour points
  and can be better fuel substitute for blending in
  colder countries.
• The yield for cottonseed oil is lower due to its
  higher free fatty acid content (that leads to
  greater soap formation).
• On the technical ground, canola oil is far better
  than cottonseed oil being used as a bio-diesel
  raw material.

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Conclusion

• The refined oils seem to perform better in
  producing bio-diesel. They show slightly greater
  product yields and lower viscosities, makes them
  a good option for biodiesel production.
• Canola oil is far better than cottonseed oil
  being used as a bio-diesel raw material.

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Thanks