Jatropha- Soybean Biodiesel Blends: A Signature Design with Optimum Low Temperature Properties and Oxidation Stability

With growing concerns brought by excessive usage and depletion of fossil fuels, the race for finding alternative energy as their substitutes is getting heated up. In the midst of this, biodiesel has gained popularity as a renewable, environmental friendly lternative. Exploration of non-edible seed oils as biodiesel raw materials seem feasible without significantly affecting the global food economy. In the present study, blends of Jatropha and Soybean biodiesel have been explored to determine the optimum mix, achieving better low temperature properties. A two-step process consisting of pre-esterification and transesterification was developed to produce biodiesel from crude Jatropha curcas L. oil and Soybean. The process was carried out at optimized set of conditions: methanol/oil molar ratio (6:1), sodium methoxide catalyst concentration (1.00 wt%), temperature (65oC) and mixing intensity (600 rpm). The physicochemical properties showed that the methyl esters
contained low moisture level (<150 ppm) and acid value (<0.2 mg KOH/ mg-oil) respectively. Characterization of the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) was accomplished by gas-chromatography. The fuel properties of the biodiesel blends produced were found to be within the standards specifications of ASTM D 6751 and EN 14214.