Comparison Studies of Bio-Diesel Production from Seed Oils Through a Sustainable Catalyst

Abstract

Increase in demand for energy production and its supply, rise in petroleum prices, environmental issues have lead in search of new alternative energy resources. This eventually lead in using edible oils as essential feed stock but in recent years, the food verses fuel controversy made edible oil a non-ideal feed stock. In search for alternative non-edible feed stocks, GuizotiaAbyssinica and CucumisSativus seed oils were found to be potential feed stocks for the synthesis of Bio-Diesel through transesterification process using Crystalline Manganese Carbonate as catalyst. Crystalline Manganese Carbonate was found to be a sustainable catalyst since higher yields were obtained at 1 wt% catalyst for both the oils. The catalyst is pure, crystalline and ash colored in nature. It is a heterogeneous catalyst and promotes reuse of the catalyst for all most seven successive runs. It is a low cost and easily available, non-corrosive, versatile, environmental friendly, green and sustainable catalyst for the transesterification of non-edible feed stocks. In the present study, a comparison on effects of parameters like methanol quantity, catalyst amount, reaction time and reaction temperature for GuizotiaAbyssinica and CucumisSativus seed and Edible oils are done. The results show that using the catalyst CrystallineManganese Carbonate gives higher yields and conversions. The catalyst is neither corrosive nor emulsion forming and is easier to separate. The research focuses on sustainable catalyst and feed stocks that are economic and environmental friendly