Technological Institute of the Philippines

363 P. Casal St., Quiapo, Manila

Department of Chemical Engineering

ChE 410
Chemical Process Industries

Production of Biodiesel from Jatropha Oil

Submitted by:
Ramirez, Francesca Reane M.

Submitted to:
Engr. Dela Cruz

November 14, 2019

 Review of Related Literature

The depletion of world petroleum reserves and the increased environmental concerns
have stimulated the search for alternative sources for petroleum-based fuel, including diesel
fuels. Jatropha curcas (Linaeus), a non-edible oil-bearing and drought-hardy shrub with
ecological advantages was found to be the most appropriate renewable alternative source of
biodiesel.

Jatropha Curca

Jatropha belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and has 175 species. It has originated
from tropical America and has spread all over the tropics and subtropics of Asia and Africa.
Throughout the world, more than 1,000,000 ha of Jatropha have been propagated. Majority
(85%) of them are in the Asian countries, i.e., India, China and Myanmar; the remaining, 12% in
Africa and 2% in Latin America (Brazil and Mexico). India is the largest cultivator of Jatropha. In
the ancient times, Jatropha has been used in various fields, such as storm protection, soil
erosion control, firewood, hedges and traditional medicines. The seed oil of Jatropha is also
used as lamp fuel, soap manufacturing ingredient, paints and as a lubricant. The characteristics
of Jatropha seed oil match with characteristics of diesel, thus it is called a biodiesel plant.
Jatropha grows on diverse wasteland without any agricultural impute (irrigation and fertilization)
and has 40–60% oil content. Easy propagation, rapid growth, drought tolerance, pest
resistance, higher oil content than other oil crops, adaptation to a wide range of environmental
conditions, small gestation period, and optimum plant size and architecture (which make the
seed collection more convenient; actually inconvenient) are some characteristics of Jatropha
which makes it a promising crop for biofuel. Although Jatropha ranked behind palm (palm
> Calophylum inophyllum> Cocus sp. > Jatropha) according to annual oil yield/hectare, it is
favoured as a non-edible feed stock. A number of earlier reports, proceedings, expectations and
assumptions predicted that the seed yield of Jatropha range from 2 to 5 Mg/ha and even 7.8 to
12 Mg/ha- without any scientific and technological backup.

Jatropha has multiple uses. Jatropha seed oil possesses biodiesel and jet fuel
production potentials. Its wood, leaves and fruits have been using as firewood in rural areas. It
also has industrial applications. Preparation of soap and cosmetics, and dyeing clothes and
fishing nets are some of its common applications. Traditionally, Jatropha has been known as a
medicinal plant. The therapeutic compounds from Jatropha can be used as anti-microbial, anti-
inflammatory, healing, homeostatic, anti-cholinesterase, anti-diarrheal, anti-hypertensive and
anti-cancer agents in modern pharmaceutical industry. As it contains toxins, before using
Jatropha and/or its derivatives as a therapeutic agent, toxicological studies must be conducted.
Jatropha seed cake can supplement animal feed and organic fertilisers as it bears higher
percentage of protein and other nutrients. Soil erosion control and used as hedges are
prehistoric uses of Jatropha.

Parts of Jatropha plant, like wood, fruit shells, seed husks and kernels, are used to
produce energy. Raw oil is the major resource obtained from Jatropha. Depending on the
variety/cultivars, decorticated seeds contain 40–60% oil. The oil is utilised for many purposes,
such as lighting, lubricating, making soap and most importantly as biodiesel. Biodiesel from
Jatropha comply with European biodiesel standards (Table 1).
 Table 1. Chemical and Physical Properties of Jatropha Oil

Source: Giibitz et al. (1999).

Jatropha Biodiesel in India

Biodiesel development in India centres mainly around the cultivation and processing
of Jatropha plant seeds which are very rich in oil (40%). The drivers for this are historic,
functional, economic, environmental, moral and political. Jatropha oil has been used in India for
several decades as biodiesel for the diesel fuel requirements of remote rural and forest
communities; jatropha oil can be used directly after extraction (i.e. without refining) in diesel
generators and engines. Jatropha has the potential to provide economic benefits at the local
level since under suitable management it has the potential to grow in dry marginal non-
agricultural lands, thereby allowing villagers and farmers to leverage non-farm land for income
generation.

As well, increased Jatropha oil production delivers economic benefits to India on the
macroeconomic or national level as it reduces the nation's fossil fuel import bill for diesel
production (the main transportation fuel used in the country); minimising the expenditure of
India's foreign-currency reserves for fuel allowing India to increase its growing foreign currency
reserves (which can be better spent on capital expenditures for industrial inputs and
production). And since Jatropha oil is carbon-neutral, large-scale production will improve the
country's carbon emissions profile.

Finally, since no food producing farmland is required for producing this biofuel (unlike
corn or sugar cane ethanol, or palm oil diesel), it is considered the most politically and morally
acceptable choice among India's current biofuel options; it has no known negative impact on the
production of the massive amounts grains and other vital agriculture goods India produces to
meet the food requirements of its massive population (circa 1.1 Billion people as of 2008). Other
biofuels which displace food crops from viable agricultural land such as corn ethanol or palm
biodiesel have caused serious price increases for basic food grains and edible oils in other
countries.

Indian Railways

The Indian Railways has started to use the oil (blended with diesel fuel in various ratios)
from the Jatropha plant to power its diesel engines with great success. Currently the diesel
locomotives that run from Thanjavur to Nagore section and Tiruchirapalli to Lalgudi, Dindigul
and Karur sections in Tamil Nadu run on a blend of Jatropha and diesel oil.

Jet Fuel

Aviation fuels may be more widely replaced by biofuels such as jatropha oil than fuels for
other forms of transportation. There are fewer planes than cars or trucks and far fewer jet
fueling stations to convert than gas stations. To fulfil the yearly demand for aviation fuel, based
on demand in 2008 (fuel use has since grown), an area of farmland twice the size of France
would need to be planted with jatropha, based on average yields of mature plantations on
reasonably good, irrigated land. On August 27, 2018 SpiceJet completed the first successful
test flight by an Indian airline which used jatropha based biofuel. The ratio of conventional jet
fuel to jatropha oil was 25:75.

Crude Oil Use

Non-edible Jatropha oil is the promising alternative as bio-energy for diesel and jet
engine. But, due to the high viscosity, large molecular mass and chemical structure of Jatropha
oil, it cannot be used directly to the compression ignition (C.I.) engines for long time. From the
study it is very clear that using Jatropha oil directly can cause some problems to the engine.
The main problems are pumping, burning and atomization with the injector system of
compression ignition engine. Unburned Jatropha oil can distort the injector nozzle, stick to the
ring and damage the cylinder of the diesel engine. It also makes the emission of particulate
substance such as smoke, unburned hydrocarbon and carbon which affect human health and
pollute the environment. Hence, the better way to use Jatropha oil directly to the diesel engine is
by the reduction of its viscosity by means of blending Jatropha curcas oil with diesel oil in
different proportions.
 Process Flow Diagram

Figure 1. Production of Biodiesel from Jatropha Oil

Process Description

Reactor

Transesterification, also called alcoholysis, is the reaction where the oil converts into its
corresponding fatty ester. This reaction is used to decrease the high viscosity of
triglyceride. The glyceride reacts with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst forming fatty acid
alkyl esters and an alcohol as the by-product. In this process, the alcohol used is methanol,
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as the catalyst and the Jatropha Oil as the glyceride.

Settling Tank

Due to density difference, the methyl ester and the glycerol will undergo separation in
the settling tank. The glycerol has greater density than the methyl esterIn the process, some
part of the glycerol will be soap because it undergoes saponification.

Falling Film Evaporator

The methyl ester with small amount of methanol will go to the evaporator and because
methanol is volatile, it will evaporate leaving the methyl ester as the only product.
Liquid-Liquid Extraction Unit

Impurities like non-reacted alcohol, glycerol and catalyst must be removed from the
methyl ester so it will undergo LLE using water as solvent to extract methyl ester more.

Flash Evaporator

In this process, the water from the LLE will be evaporated due to its low boiling point
leaving biodiesel as a finished product.

Role of a Chemical Engineer in the Jatropha Biodiesel Industry

 Assesses the existing equipment used.

 Reviews the process.
 Make biodiesel production as effective and cost- efficient as possible.

Batch Process
The process flow diagram is a typical batch system. It most ensures the fuel is clean for how it is
made. Batch mixing biodiesel is the most common method used to produce this alternative fuel,
as it uses standardized types of mixers that drastically lower production times and volumes in
comparison to earlier methods.
References:

M. Moniruzzaman, Zahira Yaakob, M. Shahinuzzaman, Rahima Khatun and A.K.M. Aminul

Islam (January 25th 2017). Jatropha Biofuel Industry: The Challenges, Frontiers in Bioenergy
and Biofuels, Eduardo Jacob-Lopes and Leila Queiroz Zepka, IntechOpen, DOI:
10.5772/64979. Available from: https://www.intechopen.com/books/frontiers-in-bioenergy-and-
biofuels/jatropha-biofuel-industry-the-challenges#F4

"Rlys to plant jatropha for captive use". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 17
September 2006.

www.indianexpress.com https://indianexpress.com/article/business/aviation/spicejet-operates-
indias-first-biofuel-powered-flight-5326913/

Sajid, Z., Zhang, Y., Khan, F., Process design and probabilistic economic risk analysis of bio-
diesel production. Sustainable Production and Consumption (2015),
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2015.10.003.