Controlling Parameters for Jatropha Biodiesel Production in a Batch Reactor Nassereldeen A. Kabbashi Biotechnology Engineering Department International Islamic University Malaysia Gombak, Malaysia nasreldin@iium.edu.my Nurudeen Ishola Mohammed, Md Zahangir Alam, Mohammed Elwathig S. Mirghani Biotechnology Engineering Department International Islamic University Malaysia Gombak, Malaysia Abstract— In a quest for environmental friendly energy source with least pollutants emission due to issues of global warming coupled with dwindling reserve of the fossil fuel which has been the energy source for ages, researchers have intensified study on renewable fuels among which biodiesel stands prominent. Biodiesel production is largely by transesterification of transglycerides of fatty acids almost always in a batch reactor. Of importance in the yield generation and FAME conversion achievement is the control of reagents use in production and operation parameters control. This will afford optimum resource conservation while also minimize cost and materials wastage. In this study biodiesel was produced from hydrolysate (FFA) of Jatropha curcas oil using calcinated niobic acid catalyst at controlled rates of process parameters. Yield and conversion of the alkyl esters produced inform the influence of control parameters significantly on the throughput of the final product. Keywords— Control; Batch reactor; Biodiesel; Jatropha Curcas I. INTRODUCTION Biodiesel is a fuel of organic origin consisting of long chain fatty acids. The application of this fuel in diesel engine offers environmental benefits when compared with fossil fuel. Feedstocks of vegetable oil (Virgin and waste) and animal fats have been explored for production of biodiesel (1). Other renewable resources from which biodiesel had been produced is algae and yellow lard (2). Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly alternative liquid fuel that can be used in any diesel engine with little or no engine restructuring. Interest in organic oils consideration for biodiesel production has been kindled on account of its less polluting nature and its renewable source when compared with fossil diesel fuel (3). Biodegradable fuels like biodiesels have an expanding range of potential applications as they are less environmental polluting. Therefore, there is growing interest in degradable diesel fuels that degrade more rapidly than petroleum fuels (4).Biodiesel beckons increasing consideration from institutions and individual desiring home brew biodiesel production. Biodiesel is economically feasible in majority of oilseed-producing regions of the world (5). Biodiesel is a technologically feasible substitute to petro-diesel, but biodiesel selling price doubled that of fossil diesel in most advance countries which is in part dependent on control measures of the reagent used in the production (5). Although, biodiesel is still currently produced in relatively small scale compared to fossil fuel, present market price is not competitive. Hence, biodiesel at the present economic situation does not satisfactorily rivaled petro-diesel (5) Apart from the feedstock constituting the highest cost of biodiesel synthesis amounting to about 80% of the operating cost (6), the amount of other materials used in the process which depends largely on the control of process parameters such as temperature, catalyst dose, reaction time and molar ratio of alcohol used (7). It is thus imperative that the amount or concentration of these parameters were determined in order to avoid wastage while also ensuring sufficient amount for optimum conversion and yield generation. II. MATERIALS AND METHOD A. Calcination , Characterization of Powdered Acid Catalyst The powdered niobic acid (Nb2O5.H2O) catalyst utilized in this study was calcined in an indigenous “Iso Temp-220” furnace for duration of 4 hrs. at 150 o C. The white fluffy niobic acid powder was subsequently stored in the desiccator until needed for use. Characterization of the calcined catalyst was done using Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopic (FT- IR) analysis. B. Batch Esterification Reaction The batch esterification reaction was carried out in 250mL screwed-cap shake flask and the content of the flask was made to react by monitoring the operating parameters in an incubator shaker (INFORs AG CH-4103 BOTTMINGEN). 16g Jatropha curcas hydrolysate (FFAs) was put in the flask with a catalyst loading (1.0-5.0 wt. % relative to the FFA) while (the methanol to oil molar ratio varied from 3:1 to 7:1). The basis of methanol to oil ratio selection was relative to the molar weight of 819 Mw of the oil. The reaction temperature was varied from 45-65 o C and agitation rate ranges from 100- 500 rpm. The reaction time was also monitored starting from 3-7hrs duration. After completion of every experimental run, the effluent was centrifuge in a (Rotina 38 Zentrifugen D- 78532 Tuttlingen). The oil and unreacted methanol phase were decanted into a separating funnel and was left overnight to separate the oil and excess methanol. The final biodiesel product was incubated in an oven for 3-4 hrs. to eliminate the moisture generated during the process. Each experiment was carried out in successive triplicate and estimation of biodiesel 978-1-4799-7862-5/15/$31.00 © 2015 IEEE