Isolation and Fuel Characterisation of Mahua (Madhuca Indica) Biodiesel found in Bihar, India

Kanth. Manish; Chandrawati Jee; Pankaj K. Pathak; Anit Kumar

Volume : V, Issue : XI, November - 2016

Isolation and Fuel Characterisation of Mahua (Madhuca Indica) Biodiesel found in Bihar, India

Kanth. Manish, Chandrawati Jee, Pankaj K. Pathak, Anit Kumar

Abstract :

With the increase in population, industrialization and development of countries, the demands of fossil fuels for power generation and transportation increases continuously in all over the world. ?e fossil fuels limited source, their shortages, and environmental concern have led to look for alternative fuels, among which biodiesel from vegetable oil feedstocks are widely practiced. Being biodegradable and renewable, biodiesel is chemically fatty acid alkyl ester (FAME/FAEE), which can be derived from vegetable oil/fat by transesterification. In this study, biodiesel production from locally purchased (from Bihar state of India) seeds of Mahua (Madhuca indica) and some of its fuel characteristics were investigated. Mahua seed oil was transesterified with sodium methoxide as homogenous base catalyst to obtain fatty acid methyl ester of Mahua seed oil. ?e density, flash point, pour point, and cetane number were calculated by standard test methods (ASTM & EN specification for biodiesel) which showed that Mahua oil biodiesel can be used as alternative fuel in diesel engine with regard to Indian conditions