Production of Biodiesel from Karanja Oil

Anil Kumar Berwal; A K Dahiya; P. Berwal

Abstract

Biodiesel is a mono-alkyl ester of fatty acid which is obtained from various edible and non-edible oil of different feed stock through transesterification and is a potential alternative fuel to petroleum diesel. India being a developing country is still short of edible oil to meet the demand of its burgeoning population. Therefore, in its National Policy on Biofuel, declare to use 20% biodiesel blend with petroleum diesel by 2017 and biodiesel will be produced mainly from the feed stock of non-edible oil like Karanja, Jatropha, etc. Karanja has high acidic value and to get biodiesel from it first esterification should be done to reduce its acidic value. Fatty acid composition of methyl ester of Karanja has physio-chemical properties makes a suitable fuel for C.I. Engine.Keywords: Biodiesel, National Biofuel Policy, Fatty acid, Transesterification