The viscometric analysis of biodiesel from mustard and coconut Oil Section D-Research paper Eur. Chem. Bull., 2014, 3(9), 946-948 DOI: 10.17628/ECB.2014.3.946 946 THE VISCOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF BIODIESEL FROM MUSTARD AND COCONUT OILS Olamide A. Oshodi, [a] Chikaodili E. Chukwuneke [a] and Okoro Linus [a] Keywords: biodiesel; mustard oil; coconut oil; fuel blends; viscosity; petroleum diesel. In this research, we report biodiesel production and viscometric analysis from mustard oil and coconut oil, by subjecting the oil to a temperature of 65 o C through base catalyzed transesterification with the use of KOH as a catalyst. The biodiesel synthesized from mustard oil was blended with petroleum diesel in the following percentage by volume 20 %, 40 %, 50 %, 70 % and 80 % corresponding to B20, B40, B50, B70 and B80, respectively. The fatty acid methyl ester of mustard oil was mixed with that of coconut oil in the ratio of 80:20, 60:40 and 50:50 respectively. Viscometric analysis was carried out and the results obtained. * Corresponding Authors E-Mail: linus.okoro@aun.edu.ng [a] American University of Nigeria, Department of Petroleum Chemistry and Engineering, School of Arts and Sciences, P.M.B 2250 Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Introduction Biodiesel is a common biofuel that is widely used in Europe and Asia. It is produced from crops such as grape, sunflower and soya and can be blended with fossil diesel in any proportion which is compatible with most diesel engines. In 2004, biodiesel production accounted for 1.2 % of total diesel fuel consumption in Europe. 1 Biodiesel has numerous benefits ranging from their low carbon emission to little or no sulfur content. This advantage eliminates the possibility of acid-rain produced as a result of sulphur oxides in the atmosphere 2 . It is a renewable, locally-produced fuel which also reduces emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxides, particulate matter, sulfur compounds as well as carbon dioxide. 1 Another benefit of biodiesel is its compatibility with diesel engines as opposed to other energy sources such as natural gas, having radically dissimilar ignition properties. 2 Production of biodiesel is less energy intensive than ethanol (another commonly used biofuel from corn) due to the absence of fermentation and distillation processes used in the latter. In addition, biodiesel enhances greasiness of diesel fuel, and has good lubricity properties. 3 According to Knothe, the removal of sulfur in the refining process of conventional diesel, reduces its lubricity but biodiesel is blended with it, the lubricity property is restored. 2 Petroleum diesel and biodiesel share some similar physico-chemical properties as well as some distinct differences. Petroleum diesel has a flash point that is well below half the value for biodiesel as well as a kinematic viscosity that is less than half of the value of biodiesel. However, both forms of diesel have similar cetane number, heating values and relative densities. The energy content of biodiesel has been found to be slightly lower than petroleum diesel. However, it does not affect performance or mileage in any way when used in the same engines. 3 Generally, studies have shown that biodiesel burns more completely than conventional diesel and leaves less residue in the engine than untreated oil. 2 Biodiesel alone cannot substitute regular diesel oil; as the world’s supply of vegetable oil can only replace a small proportion of the normal energy market. 2 Biodiesel blends of B5 (signifies the ratio rating, where 5 imply that the composition is 5 % biodiesel 4 ) are generally recommended in diesel engines. Studies are yet to prove the absence of performance issues with blends above B5 and on storage of biodiesel as it degrades faster than normal diesel and yields to possible biological growth. 3 Furthermore, biodiesel also has been found to emit more nitrogen oxide than petroleum diesel when burned in an engine. 2 The transesterification process is majorly used to synthesize biodiesel. This process has been used since the mid-19 th century to separate glycerin from oil and to reduce the viscosity of vegetable oil used in diesel engines. 4 In the transesterification process, a triglyceride ester is reacted with an alcohol to produce another ester and alcohol. When the triglycerides are reacted with methanol, the resulting product is a methyl ester. 5 The mustard oil can be extracted from the yellow mustard plant, Sinapis Alba. 6,7 The fatty acid components in triacylglycerols of mustard oil are: 4 wt. % Palmitic acid (16:0), 22 wt.% of oleic acid (18:1), 24 wt. % linoleic acid (18:2), 14 wt.% linolenic acid (18:3), 12 wt. % gadoleic acid (20:1) and 20 wt.% erucic acid. 3 The viscosity of a substance is referred to as the opposition to the flow of a liquid due to the frictional force that exists between layers of liquid moving over each other. 8 The higher the viscosity of a fuel, the greater is the likelihood of it causing problems in the engine. Generally, the viscosity of a particular biodiesel is far less than the oil from which it was obtained. 9 The fatty acid content of a particular biodiesel usually determines its viscosity and it is the process of transesterification that reduces this viscosity. High viscosity is the main reason why oils are not used directly in the engines as alternative fuel. It is usually due to the number of carbon atoms and usually increases with high degree of saturation. 8