Biodiesel is a crop-derived liquid fuel that is made from a wide range of renewable locally grown plant resources and can even be made from recycled cooking oils and animal fats. We produced Biodiesel by converting the triglyceride oils to methyl (or ethyl) esters with a process known as transesterification. The reaction requires heat and a strong base catalyst (hydroxide), to achieve complete conversion of the vegetable oil into the separated esters and glycerin. The quality of biodiesel is also dependent on the relative amounts of the used reactants and catalyst, the degree of agitation and the reaction time as well as the quality of the used frying oil. Better yield was obtained when rapeseed oil was used.
MENU
