Abstract

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON OPTIMIZATION OF ALKALI-BASE CATALYZED TRANSESTERIFICATION OF JATROPHA CURCAS SEED OIL

Rashmi Arnold*

Abstract

To exceed the rising energy demand and reducing petroleum reserves,fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol are in the forefront of thealternative techniques because current oil and gas reserves wouldsuffice to lost only a few more decades. Biodiesel production is a verymodern and technological area for researchers due to the relevance thatit is winning everyday because of increase in the petroleum price andthe environmental advantages. Alkali base catalyzed transesterificationbeing the most commonly used method of Biodiesel production. It wasobserved that the yield of alkali base catalyzed transesterification ofJatropha curcas oil. Fatty acid methyl esters obtained bytransesterification of Jatropha curcas seed oil gave performance and emissionscharacteristics close to that of Petrodiesel. Transesterification is a process, which brings abouta change in the molecular structure of the vegetable oil molecules, thus bringing down thelevels of the viscosity and unsaturation of vegetable oils. The viscosity of the oils getsdrastically reduced after transesterification. This research deals with the optimization ofprotocol for Alkali-Based transesterification of Jatropha seed oil to form Fatty acid methylesters.

Keywords: Jatropha curcas seed oil, fatty acid methyl esters, biodiesel, petro diesel etc.