Tranesterification and Comparative Analysis of Bio Diesel Production Using Blighia Sapida (Ackee Seed) as Substrate

Abstract

This research presents the production of biodiesel from nonedible, renewable ackee apple seed oil and its characterization. The study was carried out on trans-esterification of oil with methanol and sodium hydroxide as catalyst for the production of biodiesel. The harvested ackeed seed was sundried crushed manually and oven dried at a temperature of 105 for 24 hours 250g each of milled ackee seeds were respectively placed in the thimble of a Soxhlet extractor with the use of about 800ml of n-hexane., the flask was heated at 60 with the use of an electric mantle. As the solvent was heated in the boiler, the pure vapor rose through a by-pass and into the top part of the container where the sample to extract was contained. In the condenser, the vapors condensed and drip into the sample-containing thimble.The process parameters such as catalyst concentration, reaction time, and reaction temperature were optimized for the production of ackee seed oil biodiesel. The biodiesel yield of 18.30 % was noticed at optimal process parameters. The physicochemical characteristics of the oil such as pour point, cloud point, pH value, specific gravity, viscosity, acid value, saponification value, iodine value,were determined. Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) was also used to determine the elemental composition of the oil extracted. The fuel properties of biodiesel produced were found to be close to that of diesel fuel and also meet the specifications of ASTM standards. Keywords: Transesterification; Ackee seed; Biodiesel; Characterization; Optimal process, Fuel properties.