CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 History of Biodiesel

2.1 Biodiesel

2.1.1 Quality and Standards

Table 1 presents a list of the most important biodiesel quality standards in the world

Country/Area Specifications Title

EU EN 14214 EN 14214 Automotive fuels -
Fatty acid methyl esters
(FAME) for diesel engines -
Requirements and test
methods
U.S. ASTM D 6751 ASTM D6751 - 11a Standard
Specification for Biodiesel
Fuel Blend Stock (B100) for
Middle Distillate Fuels
Table 1. Biodiesel standards
 Property Test method Limits unit
min max
Ester content EN 14103 96.5 - % (m/m)
Density at 15C EN ISO 3675 860 900 kg/m3
Viscosity at 40C EN ISO 3104, ISO 3105 3.5 5.0 mm2/s
Flash point EN ISO 3679 120 - oC
Sulfur content EN ISO 20846 - 10.0 mg/kg
Earth alkali metals (Ca + EN 14538 - 5.0 mg/kg
Mg)
Cetane number EN ISO 5165 51 - -
Acid value EN 14104 - 0.5 mg KOH/g
Iodine value - 120 g I/100 g
Methanol content - 0.20 % (m/m)
Total glycerine EN 14105 - 0.25 % (m/m)
Table 3. European biodiesel standard (EN 14214)

Property Test method Limits unit

min max
Density at 15C EN ISO 3675 860 900 kg/m3
Kinematic Viscosity, at 40 D 445 1.9 6.0 mm2/s
C
Flash point D93 130 - oC
Earth alkali metals (Ca + EN 14538 - 5.0 ppm (g/g)
Mg)
Cetane number D 613 47 - -
Acid value D 664 - 0.05 mg KOH/g
Iodine value - 120 g I/100 g
 Methanol content EN 14110 - 0.20 % (m/m)
Total glycerine D 6584 - 0.25 % (m/m)
Table 4. Biodiesel standard ASTM D6751 (United States)

2.1.2 Properties

2.1.3 Advantages and Disadvantages

2.2 Feedstock for Biodiesel Production

2.2.1 Characteristics of Feedstock

2.2.2 Palm Kernel Oil as a Feedstock

2.2.3 Methods to Convert Feedstock to Biodiesel

2.3 Transesterification

2.3.1 Selection of Alcohol for Transesterification

2.3.2 Acid versus Base Catalyzed Process

2.3.3 Homogenous versus Heterogeneous Catalyzed process

2.3.4 CaO Catalyzed process

2.4 Stages in biodiesel production

2.5 Parametric Effects on Alkali-catalyzed Transesterification Process

2.3.2.3 Effect of the catalyst type and concentration

2.3.2.4 Effect of the reaction temperature