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Title:
Investigating the potential of biodiesel production in Fiji : facilitating sustainable production in the Fiji region
Untitled
Author:
Singh, Radhika.
Institution:
University of the South Pacific.
Award:
M.Sc.
Subject:
Biodiesel fuels -- Fiji
Date:
2008.
Call No.:
Pac TP 359 .B46 S56 2008
BRN:
1176448
Copyright:
Under 10% of this thesis may be copied without the authors written permission
Abstract:
Biodiesel an alternative renewable energy resource produced from alcohol and vegetable oil. Its production and quality control has been explored extensively using the available local raw materials. The final Biodiesel fuel produced has been characterised by examining it physical and chemical properties. Coconut oil was found to be the most suitable vegetable oil raw material having iodine value of 7.9, free fatty acid content of 3.72%, less than 1% moisture content and non detectable phosphorus content. These chemical analyses were carried out by standardised AOCS methods. Other lipid sources investigated included used vegetable oil (sourced from various franchise companies locally), canola oil and soybean oil. Ethanol has the potential to be produced locally and thus was deemed as an alcohol source. Methanol was also investigated. The catalysts investigated were sodium and potassium hydroxide. The synthetic methods investigated were designed to suit the FFA content of the lipid raw materials used. These include Acid pretreatment, one step base catalyzed transesterification (Method 1), One step base transesterification (Method 2A), Two step base transesterifcation (Method 2B) and Base neutralization, one step base transesterification (Method 3). Simple gravitation separation of glycerol layer was an effective method of glycerol removal. This was confirmed by FTIR spectrometry technique. Saline water washing was found to be most effective in removing saponification products from the crude biodiesel mixture. The quality of the Biodiesel fuel produced using these methods were determined by chemical and physical analysis. Gas chromatography (FID and MS) and Gel Permeation Chromatography were employed to identify and quantify the alkyl ester and total and bound glyceride content. These two methods were found to be a complementary as far as the production and quality control of the final product is concerned. Viscosities of the esters were also measured.
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