Characteristics of Kemiri Sunan (reutalis trisperma (blanco) airy shaw) biodiesel processed by a one stage transesterification process

Abstract

Kemiri sunan (Reutalis trisperma (blanco) airy shaw) is a plant that has the potential to be developed as a biodiesel feedstock in Indonesia because its fruit seeds have several advantages compared to jatropha and palm oil, including its oil content and productivity. The biodiesel production process consists of three stages, namely, esterification, transesterification, and purification. The process requires strong mixing to obtain sufficient contact between the vegetable oil and the catalyst or alcohol, especially at the beginning of the reaction. It is carried out manually in the reaction process through mechanical mixing (stirring) and heating in the transesterification process. Furthermore, biodiesel production process is greatly influenced by the accuracy of concentration and type of catalyst. This study aims to identify the optimal method for the process of biodiesel production from kemiri sunan oil. The research was conducted with a one-stage transesterification to determine the biodiesel yield and quality. The results showed that several biodiesel parameters satisfied the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) for biodiesel (SNI number 7182:2015). However, the kinematic viscosity of biodiesel was still higher than the standard.