Chemistry

Investigatory
Project

Roll No.-

Acknowledgement
 It gives me great pleasure to express my gratitude
towards our chemistry
teacher Mrs.
_______
for her
guidance, support and encouragement throughout the

o
duration of the project. Without her motivation and
help the successful completion of this project would

E. c
not have been possible.

BS
iC
Punit Gaur

XII - B

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Punit Gaur of class XII has completed the
chemistry project entitled
 ‘FORMATION OF BIO DIESEL
’

o
Himself
and under my guidance. The progress of the project

E. c
has been continuously reported and has been in my knowledge
consistently.

BS
iC
SUBJECT INCHARGE:-

Mrs. _________

Contents
 Acknowledgement

 What is Biodiesel?

 Uses of Biodiesel

 Preparation of Biodiesel

• Certificate

• Reactions involved

• Biodiesel fuel features

• Disadvantages of Biodiesel

• Bibliography
What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of short
chain alkyl (methyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of
vegetable oil or animal fat (tallow), which can be used (alone, or
blended with conventional petrol diesel) in unmodified diesel-engine
vehicles. Biodiesel is distinguished from the straight-vegetable oil
(SVO) (sometimes referred to as “waste vegetable oil” “WVO” “used
vegetable oil” “UVO” “pure plant oil”, “PPO”) used(alone, or blended) as
fuels in some converted diesel vehicles.”Biodiesel” is standardized as
mono-alkyl ester and other kinds of diesel-grade fuels of biological origin
are not included.

Uses of biodiesel


Biodiesel fuel is a renewable energy source that can be made from soy beans grown
for fuel, or from cooking oils recycled from restaurants. This means it is a
renewable resource unlike petroleum
-based diesel.

 There is an excess production of soybeanstheinUnited States; therefore

biodiesel is an economic way to utilize this surplus.

Biodiesel is less polluting than petroleum diesel. Compared to petroleum diesel,

biodiesel produces less soot (particulate matter), carbon monoxide, unburned
hydrocarbons, and sulfur dioxide.

The absence of sulfur in 100% biodiesel should extend the life of catalytic


• converters.

• 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.

• Biodiesel burns cleaner & is made of non-toxic chemicals so it does not give out
poisonous fumes, unlike the ordinary fuel.

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:

Step 2:

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.
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.

Separate out the biodiesel by pouring into a glass bottle.

Prepare a wash bottle

by poking a small hole in the corner of the bottle and

Wash the biodiesel by pouring it into the wash bottle and adding in ½ a liter of
water. Roll the bottle around to mix it and then remove the duct tape and e drain th

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

covering it with duct tape.

Step 8:

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.
 Reactions involved

Transesterification:
Animal & plant fats & oils are typically made of triglycerides which are esters of
free fatty acids with the trihydric alcohol, glycerol. In the transesterification
process, the alcohol is deprotonated with a base to make it a stronger nucleophile.
Commonly, ethanol or methanol is used. As can be seen, the reaction has no other
inputs than the triglyceride & the alcohol.

Normally, this reaction will precede either exceedingly slowly or not at all. Heat, as
well as an acid or base are used to help the reaction more quickly.
Biodiesel is a much cleaner fuel than conventional fossil-fuel
petroleum diesel


 Biodiesel burns up to 75% cleaner than petroleum diesel fuel.

Biodiesel reduces unburned hydrocarbons (93% less), carbon monoxide (50% less) &
particulate matter (30% less) in exhaust fumes, as well as cancer
-causing PAH (80%

Sulphur dioxide emissions are eliminated (biodiesel contains no Sulphur).

Biodiesel is a plant-based & using it adds no extra CO

2 greenhouse a
gs to the

The ozone-forming (smog) potential of biodiesel emissions is nearly 50% less than
petrol-diesel emissions.

Nitrogen oxide emissions may increase or decrease with biodiesel but can be
reduced to well below petrol
-diesel fuel levels.
less).

•

atmosphere.

• Biodiesel exhaust is not offensive & doesn’t cause eye irritation.

• Biodiesel can be mixed with petrol-diesel in any proportion, with no need for a mixing
additive.

• With slight variations depending on the vehicle, performance & fuel economy with
biodiesel is the same as with petrol-diesel.
Biodiesel’s fuel features
Power: One of the major advantages is the fact that it can be used in exiting
engines &fuel injection equipment (no modification required) without negative
impact to operating performance.

Fuel availability/economy: Virtually the same MPG rating as petrol

-diesel & the
only alternative fuel for heavyweight vehicles requiring no special
ensing
disp &

storage equipment.

Production/Refining: Can be done at home (wasted veggie oil) & farms (virgin oils
from seeds), being the only alternative fuel that can boost of a zero total emissions
production facility. By selling the simultaneously produced glycerol, the cost of BD is
basically the same cost of the oil used to make it.

Storage: Readily blends & stays blended with petrol-diesel so it can be stored &
dispensed wherever diesel is stored or sold.
Combustibility/Safety : Biodiesel has a very high flash point (300
⁰F) making it one
of the safest of all alternative fuels.

Lubricity: The only alternative fuel that can actually extend engine life because of
its superior lubricating & cleaning properties. The present “low
hur”
sulp
diesel fuel
is badly wearing the injection pumps of not protected diesel engine.

Usage: Biodiesel fuel can generally be used in existing oil heating systems and
diesel engines without modification, and it can be distributed through existing
diesel fuel pumps. This is an advantage over other alternative fuels, which can be
expensive to use initially due to high cost of equipment modifications or new
purchases. Biodiesel provides almost the same energy per gallon as petroleum
diesel.

Environment Impact: The only renewable alternative diesel fuel that actually
reduces major greenhouse gas components in the atmosphere. The use of biodiesel
will also reduce the following emissions: carbon monoxide, ozone-
forminghydrocarbons, hazardous diesel particulate, acid rain-causing sulphur dioxide,
lifecycle carbon dioxide.
Disadvantages of Biodiesel

 Biodiesel is currently about one and a half times more expensive than
petroleum diesel fuel. Part of this cost is because the most common source
 biodiesel can be reduced by making biodiesel from recycled cooking oils
rather than from new soy beans, or by making it from plant matter with
higher oil content.

 It takes energy to produce biodie

sel fuel from soy crops, including the
energy of sowing, fertilizing and harvesting.

• Biodiesel fuel can damage rubber hoses in some engines, particularly in cars
built before 1994. You should check with the manufacturer before using
biodiesel to see if you need to replace any hoses or rubber seals.

• Biodiesel cleans the dirt from the engine. This dirt then collects in the fuel
filter, which can clog it. Clogging occurs most often when biodiesel is first
used after a period of operation with petroleum diesel, so filters should be
changed after the first several hours of biodiesel use.

Bibliography

All the information in the project has been gathered from internet.

Websites used:
 Google

 Free encyclopedia on biodiesel

 iCBSE.com

 Transesterification chemistry for preparing

biodiesel

 Biodiesel features

 Making your own biodiesel

 Fact file of biodiesel