Biodiesel from Nahor Seed Oil: Synthesis, Evaluation, and Compatibility with Petrodiesel

Abstract: The scarcity of fossil fuels, adverse climate effects due to fossil fuel consumption, and environmental concerns raised increased attention for renewable energy. Biodiesel has high potential as a renewable energy source and can substitute petroleum-derived fuel without any modification of the conventional diesel engine. In this contribution, biodiesel is obtained from Mesua ferrea L. (Nahor oil) by a three-step process consisting of saponification, acidification, and esterification as a renewable fuel. Nahor seed kernel gives maximum oil content of 58.6% (v/w) through the soxhlet extraction method by using n-hexane as solvent. An enhanced saponification reaction (~two-fold increase of initial reaction rate) was evident in the presence of CaO rather than NaOH and NaCl. A faster and more complete acidification reaction to free fatty acid (FFA) was evidenced for a 1 : 1.5 molar ratio of soap to acid (HCl) at 70°C temperature and ambient pressure. Biodiesel formation was found optimal for a 1 : 6 molar ratio of FFA to methanol at 60°C and atmospheric pressure, in presence of HCl as a catalyst. 1H NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy of produced biodiesel confirms the full up-gradation of triglyceride (Nahor oil) to biodiesel. Detailed characterization of the derived biodiesel shows most of the properties are compatible with petrodiesel standards to a certain extent despite high pour and cloud points. Moreover, biodiesel derived from Nahor seed oil shows better compatibility with petrodiesel than sunflower or Koroch seed oil. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]