Fuel Quality Assessment of Biodiesels Produced through Alcoholysis from Pongamia glabra, Mesua ferrea and their blend: A novel yet cinch approach

Abstract

There are many non-edible oil seed bearing trees like Ratanjyot (Jatropha curcas), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Rubber seed (Hevea brasilensis), Nahor (Mesua ferrea), Karabi (Thietiva peruviana) and Karanja (Pongamia glabra) etc have been found to be a prominent source of oil for biodiesel production. Among these species Pongamia glabra and Mesua ferrea satisfy the most convincing species due to their various attributes like annual seed yield, life span of the seed bearing tree, and most importantly the oil content of the seeds. The oil contents of Mesua ferrea and Pongamia glabra are 72% and 37% respectively. As the acid value of both the oils is high, hence, it has been reduced via esterification before going to alcoholysis. Here biodiesel was produced individually from both the seeds and blending both the oils in 1:1 ratio. We have compared the results of blended [(1:1) oil] biodiesel with the individual biodiesel prepared from Mesua ferrea, Pongamia glabra and also with the standards. The FAME (Fatty Acid Monoalkyl Ester) produced by this method gives data in accordance with the results determined as per the ASTM and EN 14214 standards for evaluating the biodiesel fuel qualities like density at 15°C (gm/cc), cloud point (°C), pour point (°C), acid value (mg/KOH/g), kinematic (cst), viscosity at 40 °C, flash point (°C), oxidation stability (hours), calorific value (MJ/kg) and carbon residue(%wt). We recorded remarkable fuel quality enhancement in the blended biodiesel which can used as a better fuel than the individual biodiesel prepared from both the oils.