Biodiesel Production from Ricinus Communis Oil and Its Blends with Soybean Biodiesel

Abstract

In this study, local vegetable oil named as Ricinus Communis (RC) is used as the raw material for the production of biodiesel. In order to obtain RC oil, Soxhalet Extraction apparatus was used. This paper deals with the transesterification of Ricinus Communis oil with methanol to produce biodiesel. Moreover, this study analysis the fuel properties of RC biodiesel and soybean biodiesel blends. Various properties of the RC biodiesel, Soybean biodiesel and their blends such as the cold filter plugging point (CFPP), cetane number, flash point, kinematic viscosity and density were determined. Test results were compared well with European biodiesel standards EN 14214. Analysis showed that the cetane number and the cold flow behavior of the RC biodiesel and soybean biodiesel blends were improved due to the high cetane number (80) and the low cold filter plugging point (-35 oC) of RC biodiesel.