Study of Reaction Conditions on a Conversion ratio of Castor Oil Fuel Production

Abstract

Present paper is performed to production of biodiesel fuel BDF from castor oil CO. The effect of the molar ratio of alcohol to oil, temperature, and the type of catalyst factor on the efficiency of BDF production was studied. Esterification reactions were used to convert fat into fuel. The ideal molar ratio of methanol to oil is 1:7. The reaction temperature is 65°C, and the reaction time is 120 minutes. The concentration of the catalyst was 1% by weight of the CO. The conversion efficiency is 97% when using the above amounts. Potassium hydroxide is better than sodium hydroxide in esterification reactions. The physical specifications of the produced fuel are in accordance with the international specifications of ASTM, except for a tiny increase in viscosity. But it is within the permissible range. After completing the reaction process, the separation took two hours, unlike traditional techniques that take five days.