Does the Maturity of Jatropha Curcas L. Affect the Quality and Quantity of the Yield of Oil for Biodiesel Production?

Abstract

Biodiesel is a green and popular renewable fuel and unlike mineral diesel, produces fewer toxic emissions. Jatropha curcas Linn is a nonedible fruit that commonly used in biodiesel production. This study evaluated the impacts of Jatropha seeds maturity on quantity and quality of yield oil. Production of biodiesel from Jatropha oil and ethanol using natrium hydroxide as the catalyst by transesterification was performed on half-matured (yellow) and matured (black) Jatropha seeds. Experimental investigations have been carried out to examine properties and performance of Jatropha, and different blends of Jatropha oil-diesel (JOD) in comparison to a petroleum-based diesel fuel. Half-matured stage of Jatropha is shown to produces 2.5% less oil than the matured stage. The quality of the maturity stages quantified in terms of mean square error (MSE), and the matured stage showed 13% better performance in contrast to the half-matured stage. Matured stage JOD blends indicate closer performance to petroleum-based diesel and can be used as a biodiesel without engine modification.

Keywords:

• Jatropha
• Biodiesel
• Maturity
• Density
• Flash point
• Pour point

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This research project was financially supported by a Grant No. 02J89, Research University Grant Scheme (GUP), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.