CHEMISTRY

PROJECT:
Preparation Of
Biodiesel
AIM: To Prepare Biodiesl,Using The Mechanism
Of Transesterification

THEORY
WHAT IS BIODIESEL

Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of long chain alkyl

(methyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil or animal fat ,which
can be used alone, or blended with conventional petrol diesel, in unmodified diesel-
engines. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids like vegetable oil and animal
fat with an alcohol, thus producing fatty acid esters.

Biodiesel is standardized as mono-alkyl ester and other kinds of diesel-grade fuels of

biological origin are not included. Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel
engines and is thus distinct from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel, converted
diesel engines.
 HOW IS BIODIESEL PRODUCED

Almost all biodiesel is produced

using base catalyzed
transesterification as it is the most
economical process requiring only
low temperatures and pressures and
producing a 98% conversion yield.

The Transesterification process is

the reaction of a triglyceride (fat/oil)
with an alcohol to form esters and
glycerol. A triglyceride has a
glycerin molecule as its base, with
three long chain fatty acids attached.
The characteristics of the fat are
determined by the nature of the fatty
acids attached to the glycerin. The
nature of the fatty acids can in turn
affect the characteristics of the
biodiesel.

In the transesterification process, the alcohol is

deprotonated with a base to make it a stronger
nucleophile. Commonly, ethanol or methanol is
used. Therefore, during this process, the
triglyceride is reacted with alcohol in the
presence of a catalyst, usually a strong alkaline
like sodium hydroxide As can be seen, the
reaction has no other inputs than the triglyceride
and the alcohol. Under normal conditions, this
reaction will proceed either exceedingly slowly
or not at all, so heat, as well as catalysts (acid
and/or base) are used to speed the reaction. It is
important to note that the acid or base are not
consumed by the transesterification reaction, thus
they are not reactants, but catalysts. The alcohol
reacts with the fatty acids to form the mono-alkyl
ester, or biodiesel and crude glycerol. In most
production methanol or ethanol is the alcohol
used and is base catalysed by either potassium or
sodium hydroxide.

The figure below shows the chemical process for

methyl ester biodiesel. The reaction between the fat or oil and the alcohol is a reversible
reaction and so the alcohol is added in excess to drive the reaction towards the right and
ensure complete conversion.
The products of the reaction are the biodiesel itself and glycerol.

A successful transesterification reaction is signified by the separation of the ester and

glycerol layers after the reaction time. The heavier, co-product, glycerol settles down.

MECHANISM

The carbon on the ester of the triglyceride has a slight positive charge, and the carbonyl
oxygens have a slight negative charge. This polarization of the C=O bond is what attracts
the RO- to the reaction site.

R1
Polarized attraction |
RO- > C=O
|
O-CH2-CH-CH2-O-C=O
| |
O-C=O R3
|
R2

This yields a tetrahedral intermediate that has a negative charge on the former carbonyl
oxygen:

R1
|
RO-C-O- (pair of electrons)
|
O-CH2-CH-CH2-O-C=O
| |
O-C=O R3
|
R2

These electrons then fall back to the carbon and push off the diacylglycerol forming the
ester.

R1
|
RO-C=O

+
 -O-CH2-CH-CH2-O-C=O
| |
O-C=O R3
|
R2

Then two more RO groups react via this mechanism at the other two C=O groups. This
type of reaction has several limiting factors. RO- has to fit in the space where there is a
slight positive charge on the C=O. MeO- works well because it is small in size. As the
chain length of the RO- group increases, reaction rates decrease. This effect is called
steric hindrance. This effect is a primary reason the short chain alcohols, methanol and
ethanol, are typically used.

There are several competing reactions, so care must be taken to ensure the desired
reaction pathway occurs. Most methods do this by using an excess of RO-.

PROCEDURE
Instructions to Prepare Bio Diesel

Requirements:

Vegetable oil
Antifreeze (Methanol)
Lye (NaOH)
Blender
Scales
Plastic containers
Funnels
Plastic bottle with lid
Duct tape
Thermometer

Steps Involved:

Step 1:

Measure out 200 ml of antifreeze and put it in one plastic container.

Step 2:
Add in lye so that the antifreeze is absorbed.

Step 3:

Cover container and mix well by shaking it. It is mixed when it starts to feel warm and is
foamy. The mixture has now become sodium methoxide.

Step 4:

Blend 1 liter of vegetable oil with the sodium methoxide in a blender for 20 minutes.

Step 5:

Pour mixture into a bottle and wait 8 hours until the byproduct, glycerin, separates form
the biodiesel. The glycerin will be on the solid on the bottom.

Step 6:

Separate out the biodiesel by pouring into a glass bottle.

Step 7:

Prepare a wash bottle by poking a small hole in the corner of the bottle and covering it
with duct tape.

Step 8:

Wash the biodiesel by pouring it into the wash bottle and adding in a liter of water.
Roll the bottle around to mix it and then remove the duct tape and drain the water.

Step 9:

Repeat the washing process until the biodiesel is clear. This may need to be done
numerous times over the course of a week to complete the process. Store the biodiesel in
a glass container until ready to use.

RESULT AND CONCLUSION

Biodiesel, being economic and environment friendly is an ideal fuel to be used for
meeting energy requirements of present and future generations. From the experiment
performed, its clear that biodisel production is a convenient, economically sustainable
and ecologically beneficial process, primarily because of the ease of preparation and also
because, no hazardous side products were released during its preparation.
Following are some advantages of biodiesel:

ADVANTAGES OF BIODIESEL

1. It is a green fuel, does not contribute to the carbon dioxide (CO2)burden and
produces drastically reduced engine emissions. It is non-toxic and biodegradable.
BioDiesel is a much better lubricant than petroleum diesel and its use can prolong
engine life. Biodiesel is less polluting than petroleum diesel. Compared to
petroleum diesel, biodiesel produces less soot (particulate matter), carbon
monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and sulfur dioxide.
2. The absence of sulfur in 100% biodiesel should extend the life of catalytic
converters.
3. Biodiesel fuel can also 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.
4. Renewable - BioDiesel is derived from vegetable oil which is essentially home-
grown. It is a sustainable resource that will not run out. We need more, we grow
more. Petroleum diesel is derived from crude oil, which is finite and will
eventually run out.

5. Carbon Neutral - BioDiesel use does not lead to any overall change in the amount
of CO2 in the atmosphere. The vegetables, from which the oil has been extracted,
remove CO2 from the atmosphere to grow. When Bio-diesel is burned the CO2 is
released back into atmosphere, only to be taken up again when we grow more.
The ozone-forming (smog) potential of biodiesel emissions is nearly 50% less
than petrol-diesel emissions.
6. Biodiesel can be mixed with petrol-diesel in any proportion, with no need for a
mixing additive.
7. With slight variations depending on the vehicle, performance & fuel economy
with biodiesel is the same as with petrol-diesel.

Its evident that biodisel , having a great number of benefits is an ideal fuel.

PRECAUTIONS
1. The alchol used, needs to be very dry. Any water in the process promotes the
saponification reaction, thereby producing salts of fatty acids (soaps) and consuming the
base, and thus inhibits the transesterification reaction.

2. The reaction between the biolipid (fat or oil) and the alcohol is a reversible reaction so
excess alcohol must be added to ensure complete conversion.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://cenbrazil.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/biodiesel-chemistry-101/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transesterification
http://www.biofuels.coop/pdfs/2_chem.pdf
http://engineeringcases.knovelblogs.com/2010/09/14/chemistry-of-biodiesel-
production/
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/makebiodiesel.htm
http://biodieseltech.blogspot.in/2006/05/how-is-biodiesel-manufactured.html