Biodiesel production from nonedible feedstock, radish seed oil by cosolvent method at room temperature: evaluation and analysis of biodiesel

Abstract

ABSTRACTTransesterification of radish oil (RO) with different alcohols, namely, methanol, ethanol, and mixed methanol/ethanol at room temperature (32°C) in the existence of different cosolvents (n-hexane, petroleum ether [40–60°C], cyclohexane, diethyl ether, and acetone), was accomplished in this work. Through transesterification process, parameters affecting the alkyl esters yields, like cosolvent kind, cosolvent amount, KOH amount, alcohol:RO molar ratio, reaction duration, and stirring speed were studied. At the ideal conditions, yields of methylic, ethylic, and mixed methylic/ethylic biodiesels (BDs) were 97.55 ± 2.0, 97.33 ± 2.0, and 97.0 ± 1.0 wt.%, respectively. Monitoring cosolvent process of the RO was finished by 1H NMR spectroscopy which was exploited for quantifying the BD yield as well. High-quality and yield BDs from the RO were attained as a result of cosolvent alcoholysis reaction, and the specifications of the resulting BDs in addition to their blends with conventional diesel fuel obeyed those given by ASTM D6751 and ASTM D7467-17 standards, respectively. The study also revealed that kind of an alcohol involved in the transesterification reaction had an influence on the ideal conditions needed to yield maximum transformation.