Biodiesel from Jatropha seed oil: synthesis and evaluate emission from biodiesel fuel in diesel engine

Abstract

This research focused on BDF production from Jatropha seed oil and evaluation of its exhaust gas on the diesel engine in order to produce and confirm the environmental benefit of BDF. This report showed the results of research on BDF production from Jatropha seed oil and engine emissions from blend of diesel fuel and BDF from Jatropha oil. A maximum of 78% biodiesel yield was found at 2.25%w/w catalyst KOH, the optimum molar ratio of Jatropha oil to methanol of 1:6, at a reaction temperature of 55⁰C in 45 minutes.

The use of BDF blends in conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction in emission of hydrocarbon C_xH_y, carbon monoxide CO and sulfates SO₂, whereas NO_x emission increases a little. The reason for reducing of C_xH_y, CO and SO₂ emission and increasing NO_x emission with biodiesel mixtures was mainly due to the presence of oxygen in their molecular structure.