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My Chemistry Project PDF
My Chemistry Project PDF
An Investigatory Project
NALIN.M.R
GRADE 12
VISHWA SISHYA VIDYODAYA SCHOOL
POLLACHI.
Bonafide Certificate
Signature of Teacher-in-charge
Date:
Signature: Signature:
Name: Name:
Designation: Designation:
School:
Acknowledgement
Biodiesel
AN INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
OBJECTIVE Introduction
To learn and Biodiesel is a domestically produced fuel that is manufactured from
understand vegetable oils or animal fats for use in vehicles. Biodiesel's physical
properties are similar to those of petroleum diesel, but it is much a
what Biodiesel
cleaner‐burning alternative.
is, its merits
and demerits The use of Biodiesel as a fuel has taken off over the last couple of years.
Initially, Biodiesel was viewed as a fool‐proof solution to the impending
and to
energy crisis. It is considered by many to be carbon neutral since the
experiment it’s
plants they are made from grow by taking in carbon dioxide from the air,
making which when emitted by a vehicle running on it will be reabsorbed by the
plants in the next crop. Consumers and governments alike have bought in
the biofuel revolution.
This report primarily deals with the necessity of Biodiesel being a major
energy source and the advantages & disadvantages of Biodiesel against
conventional fossil fuels. Along with this, an extensive analysis of
Biodiesel’s background, current production trends and industrial
production methods have also been detailed.
Table of Contents
1. Biodiesel ........................................................................ 5
2. Features ......................................................................... 5
3. Preparing Biodiesel ....................................................... 6
4. Industrial production ..................................................... 8
5. Applications ................................................................... 9
6. Disadvantages ............................................................... 9
7. References ................................................................... 10
Biodiesel refers to a non‐petroleum‐based diesel fuel consisting of long
chain alkyl (Methyl, Ethyl or Propyl) esters. Typically, Biodiesel is
manufactured by chemically reacting (transesterification) lipids [e.g.,
vegetable oil, soybean oil, animal fat (tallow)] with an alcohol, producing
fatty acid esters. Biodiesel has been standardized as a mono‐alkyl ester,
and other kinds of diesel‐grade fuels of biological origin are not included.
Ethyl stearate, an ethyl
Blends of Biodiesel
ester produced from
soybean oil and ethanol Because of the global fuels being petrol and diesel, Biodiesel can be only
used in specific and compatible engines and cannot be used in any engine.
Blends of Biodiesel and conventional hydrocarbon‐based diesel are
products most commonly distributed for use in the retail fuel marketplace.
Much of the world uses a system known as the ‘B’‐Factor to state the
amount of Biodiesel in any fuel mix:
B100 100% Biodiesel
B20 20% Biodiesel, 80% Petro‐diesel
B5 5% Biodiesel, 95% Petro‐diesel
B2 2% Biodiesel, 98% Petro‐diesel
Blends of 20% Biodiesel and lower can be used in diesel equipment with
no, or only minor modifications. Biodiesel can also be used in its pure form
(B100), but may require certain engine modifications to avoid
maintenance and performance problems.
Features
Biodiesel has many promising features over conventional diesel. It has
excellent lubricating properties and cetane ratings compared to diesel
fuels.
The color of Biodiesel ranges from golden and dark brown, depending on
the production method. It is slightly miscible with water, has a high boiling
point and low vapor pressure. The flash point1 of Biodiesel (>130 °C) is
Storage
Readily blends and stays blended with Petro‐diesel so it can be stored &
dispensed wherever diesel is sold
Combustion & Safety
Biodiesel undergoes more complete combustion, thus increasing the
engine energy output. Biodiesel has a very high flash point (300⁰F) making
it one of the safest of all alternative fuels
2. ULSD
Ultra Low Lubricity
Sulphur Diesel Biodiesel contains virtually no sulfur, and it is often used as an additive to
ULSD2 fuel to aid with lubrication, as the sulfur compounds in Petro‐diesel
provide much of the lubricity. It is the only alternative fuel that can extend
engine life because of its superior cleaning properties
Environmental Impact
Biodiesel is the only renewable alternative diesel fuel that reduces major
greenhouse gas components in the atmosphere. The use of Biodiesel will
also reduce the following: Carbon monoxide (50%), Ozone‐forming‐
Hydrocarbons (50%), and hazardous Diesel Particulate (93%). No Sulphur
products are emitted, which have the potential of causing acid rain
Preparing Biodiesel
Principle
Vegetable oil is composed of triglycerides, which are tri‐esters of glycerol.
The triglycerides are reacted with an alcohol (methanol/ethanol). It is then
deprotonated with a base (catalyst) to make it a stronger nucleophile.
Triglycerides (1) are reacted with an alcohol such as Ethanol (2) to give
Ethyl esters of fatty acids (3) and Glycerol (4). The reaction will be
extremely slow unless catalysts like Sodium/Potassium methoxides are
used
Equipment Required
Vegetable oil, Antifreeze (Methanol), NaOH, Blender, Scales, Plastic
containers, Funnels, Plastic bottle with lid, Duct tape, Thermometer
Catalyst
Measure 200 ml of Antifreeze and put it in a plastic container
Add in NaOH so that the antifreeze is absorbed
Cover the container and mix well by shaking it. It will be mixed
when it becomes warm and foamy
The mixture has now become Sodium methoxide
The Sodium hydroxide acts as a base, removing a proton from the
methanol to form Sodium methoxide.
Procedure
1. Blend 1 liter of vegetable oil with the Sodium methoxide in a
blender for 20 minutes
2. Pour the mixture into a bottle and wait for 8 hours until the
byproduct, glycerin, separates from the Biodiesel. The glycerin will
have settled at the bottom
3. Separate out the Biodiesel by pouring it into a glass bottle
4. Prepare a wash bottle by poking a small hole at a bottom corner
and covering it with duct tape
Biodiesel (top layer) and
5. Wash the Biodiesel by pouring it into the wash bottle and adding in
Glycerin (bottom layer)
½ a liter of water. Roll the bottle around to mix it and then remove
produced in the
the duct tape and drain the water
laboratory
6. Repeat this process several times over the course of a week until
the Biodiesel is clear. Store the Biodiesel in a glass container
Biodiesel is commonly produced by transesterification of vegetable oil,
waste grease (from restaurants) or animal fat feedstock.
Production Methods
There are several methods for carrying out this transesterification
reaction:
Supercritical Process
An alternative, catalyst‐free method that uses supercritical
methanol at high temperatures and pressures in a continuous
process
Ultra‐Shear In‐line and Batch Reactors
Allow production of biodiesel continuously, semi‐ continuously,
and in batch‐mode. This drastically reduces production time and
increases production volume
Ultrasonic Reactor Method
In this method, the ultrasonic waves cause the reaction mixture to
produce and collapse bubbles constantly, simultaneously carrying
60 gallon Biodiesel
out transesterification. Allows for the industrial scale processing of
Batch Reactor: allow
rapid Biodiesel several thousand barrels per day
production Lipase‐Catalyzed Method
Researchers have found that very good yields could be obtained
from crude and used‐oils using the enzyme lipase
Production Trends
In 2007, biodiesel production was growing rapidly, with an average annual
growth rate from 2002‐06 of over 40%. For the year 2006, the total world
biodiesel production was about 5‐6 million tons, with Europe being the
largest producer. Production increased 10% in 2014 despite a decline in
production from North America. Biodiesel consumption is rising steadily
and is poised to become a major energy source.
Biodiesel, being a renewable and much less polluting fuel than Petro‐
diesel, finds uses in numerous places.
Vehicles
Biodiesel is blended in many forms and is used in automobiles and trains.
Comparatively, Biodiesel produces less soot, carbon monoxide, unburned
hydrocarbons, and sulfur dioxide. The absence of sulfur in 100% Biodiesel
should extend the life of catalytic converters
Diesel-hydraulic
locomotive, powered by
Heating
biodiesel (B20) Biodiesel fuel can be used in combination with heating oil to heat
residential and industrial buildings. This can reduce dependence on non‐
renewable and increasingly expensive heating oil
Oil Spills
Biodiesel has displayed its capacity to significantly dissolve crude oil due to
its methyl ester component. This is exploited for cleaning up oil spills
Power
The use of B100 generators in residential areas around schools, hospitals,
and the general public result in substantial reductions in poisonous gases
and particulate matter
Disadvantages
Although Biodiesel has a lot of advantages over Petro‐diesel, there are
some very serious and unavoidable demerits that limit its potential to
replace petroleum fuels. Given below are a few of them:
References
All information in this project has been gathered from the Internet.
en.wikipedia.org
www.berkeleybiodiesel.org
www.bp.com
www.instituteforenergyresearch.org
www.rsc.org
projects.icbse.com
www.projectsyapa.com
www.fueleconomy.gov