1Department of Bio-Energy, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai-625021, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author email id: biodieselbaskar@yahoo.co.in
Biodiesel produced by the transesterification of vegetable oils, waste cooking oils and animal fats, is a promising alternative fuel for diesel engines due to fossil fuel depletion and environmental degradation. Biodiesel was prepared from palm oil by transesterification of the crude oil with methanol in the presence of NaOH as catalyst. Maximum conversion efficiency (>95%) was achieved using 1:5 molar ratio of oil to methanol at 60°C. Important fuel properties of methyl ester of palm oil (Biodiesel) compared well with other methyl esters and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D 6751 standards. The fatty acid methyl esters profiles in the reaction mixture were quantified by gas chromatography using mass spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatographyanalytical techniques.
Palm oil, Biodiesel, Transesterification, Palm oil methyl esters, Alternative fuel
