Production of Biodiesel Using a Vegetable Oil from Swida wilsoniana Fruits

Changzhu Li,Jie Fu,Zhenxiang He,Peiwang Li,Rukuan Liu,Zhihong Xiao,Liangbo Zhang,Jingzhen Chen

doi:10.3311/ppch.7868

Abstract

Energy demand is increasing dramatically due to the fast industrial development, rising population, expanding urbanization, and economic growth in the world and large amount of fossil fuels are widely used. The depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the environmental pollution caused by burning of fossil fuels stimulate development of alternative fuels. Biodiesel today is the most popular and promising biofuel and vegetable oils are one of the potential feedstocks for biodiesel production. In order to explore the wild oil plant sources in China, the fruit oil of Swida wilsoniana, a wild woody oil plant widely distributed in the mountainous regions of calcareous sandstone, was used to produce the biodiesel by transesterification method. The reaction parameters were optimized by an orthogonal experimental design. The results showed that Swida wilsoniana fruit oil (SWO) could be conversed to biodiesel at a wide range of reaction conditions. The optimum conditions for the reaction process were determined as: methanol/oil mole ratio 5:1, catalyst dosage 1.1%, reaction temperature 60 °C, and reaction time 120 min. The characteristics of Swida wilsoniana biodiesel (SDBD) were analyzed, which was similar to that of 0# diesel. Moreover, SDBD has the advantages of higher flash point (>105) and lower ash content (<0.003). Therefore, SDBD is a safe and clean biodiesel and a promising alternative biofuel.

Highlights

Fossil fuels, mainly petroleum-based liquid fuels, natural gas and coal [1], remain to be a key factor in national economic development especially in developing countries like India and China
In order to explore the wild oil plant sources in China, the fruit oil of Swida wilsoniana, a wild woody oil plant widely distributed in the mountainous regions of calcareous sandstone, was used to produce the biodiesel by transesterification method
The results showed that Swida wilsoniana fruit oil (SWO) could be conversed to biodiesel at a wide range of reaction conditions

Summary

Introduction

Mainly petroleum-based liquid fuels, natural gas and coal [1], remain to be a key factor in national economic development especially in developing countries like India and China. Electric vehicles could be used in special segments of the transport sector like in urban areas, but due to the limited capacity of energy storage in batteries, these electrically powered cars could not substitute combustion engines in large extent within the several decades. The use of alternatively produced hydrogen basically could power combustion engines as well as electric cars with fuel cells, but because of the high price and lack of infrastructure there would not be a market penetration within the decade. The only short-term alternative for the transport sector is the use of liquid biofuels [3], which are produced out from biomass and could be used in existing engines

Methods

Results

Conclusion