WHITEFIELD GLOBAL

SCHOOL
CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
SUBHIKSHA.R

CLASS XII

2021-2022
USED COOKING OIL AS
A SUBSTITUTE FOR
DIESEL

2
Index:

S.no Title Page no.

1 Acknowledgements 4

2 Introduction 5

3 Advantages of using Biodiesel 7

4 Disadvantages of using Biodiesel 8

5 Additives that can be used to 9

counteract the disadvantages

6 Chemical reactions involved in the 10

production of Biodiesel

7 Methodology to homebrew Biodiesel 12

8 Conclusion 16

3
Acknowledgements:

 I would like to thank my parents and teachers for guiding me

in this project and being ready for help when I needed it.

 I would also like to thank my school for providing me this

amazing oppurtunity to work on this project which has been
a good learning experience for me.

4
Introduction:
The conversion of used cooking oil into Biodiesel may be the ultimate solution for
two environmental hazards: First, The excess amount of pollution caused during
the mining and refining of crude oil for the production of diesel and second, the
irresponsible disposal of used cooking oil which leads to water and soil pollution
as well as clogged drains.

Diesel engines power farming and construction equipments, buses, trains, ships,
trucks, backup generators and even some cars. Diesel fuel doesn’t necessarily
need to be derived from crude oil but can also be produced from recently dead
organisms. Such a diesel produced is known ass Biodiesel. Biodiesel is
biodegradable energy source made from plant oils or animal fats and can be used
in the regular diesel engine. Moreover, it is also cleaner than regular diesel.

Biodiesel can be easily produced in both large processing plants, cottages as well
as in households (must be done carefully taking appropriate precautions). The
glycerin produced as a by product can be used to make soaps, cosmetics, etc.

Biodiesel is composed of long chain esters wich is very similar to the structure of
petroleum diesel composed of long chain hydrocarbons. Thus, regular diesel
engines with slight modifications can be used to combust Biodiesel.

Biodiesel usage is also very efficient: If all the grease thrown away by New
Yorkers in a day is converted into jet fuel, it would be enough to power several
hundred flights from New York to Los Angeles.

It can be blended with petro-diesel in the form of B2 (2% biodiesel, 98%

petroleum diesel), B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% petroleum diesel), B20 (20% biodiesel,
80% petroleum diesel) or used as pure biodiesel (B100).

Biodiesel can help several countries in reducing their dependence on foreign oil
reserves as it is domestically produced and can be used in any diesel engine with
little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system.

Different vegetable oils have higher or lower concentrations of fatty acids and
other chemical components, which affects their performance when they are
made into biodiesel. In addition, the chemical structure of the alcohol that is
reacted with the oil to create biodiesel can also affect the properties of the
fuel. In general, the chemical properties that matter the most are the length

5
of the biodiesel molecule, the amount of "branching" in the chain, and t he
degree of "saturation" of the molecule.

The sizes of the molecules in biodiesel and petroleum diesel are about the
same, but they differ in chemical structure. Biodiesel molecules consist
almost entirely of chemicals called fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), which
contain unsaturated "olefin" components. Petroleum diesel, on the other
hand, consists of about 95 percent saturated hydrocarbons and 5 percent
aromatic compounds.

The fuel is produced by transesterification—a process that converts fats and oils
into biodiesel and glycerin (a coproduct). Approximately 100 pounds of oil or fat
are reacted with 10 pounds of a short-chain alcohol (usually methanol) in the
presence of a catalyst (usually sodium hydroxide [NaOH] or potassium hydroxide
[KOH]) to form 100 pounds of biodiesel and 10 pounds of glycerin (or glycerol).

The highest conversion of WCO to biodiesel was estimated to be 96%, at

optimized experimental conditions i.e., 50 °C, 1:8 WCO oil to methanol ratio, 1%
by weight of catalyst loading rate and 90 minutes reaction time.

6
Advantages of Using Biodiesel:
 Biodiesel has higher lubricity than petroleum diesel which helps to reduce
engine wear.

 Biodiesel contains practically no sulfur and results in reduced pollution

from engines.

 Biodiesel is much less toxic than petroleum diesel.

 Biodiesel has higher oxygen content (usually 10 to 12 percent) than

petroleum diesel and this result in lower pollution emissions.

 Vehicles that run on biodiesel achieve a 30% fuel economy than petroleum-
based diesel engines hence, it has better fuel economy.

 Pollutants from gasoline engines, when released in the air, form smog and
causes air pollution. Biodiesel produces less toxic pollutants than other
petroleum products and creates less emission by reducing the amount of
suspended particles in the air.

 For biodiesel, the flashpoint is approximately 130oC, whereas, for

petroleum, it is only about 52oC, which is really very low. Thus, petroleum
is way more dangerous and inflammable than biodiesel.

 Indegenous production of Biodiesel would reduce the amount of oil

being imported to or being exported from a country. This, in turn, could
balance the country’s economy as well as it can reduce the geopolitical
tensions.

7
Disadvantages of Using Biodiesel:
 When the oil is extracted and converted to fuel using the chemical
process, the result can vary in the ability to produce power and thus,
there is a variation in the quality diferent types of Biodiesel produced.

 Use of Biodiesel can considerably damage the rubber houses of some

engines.

 Biodiesel is way more expensive than other conventional fuels.

Currently, it is almost 1.5 times more expensive than petroleum.

 Biodiesel is not distributed as widely as petroleum diesel. The

infrastructure still requires more boost so that it is adopted as the most
preferred way to run engines.

 Biodiesel gels in cold weather, but the temperature that it will gel
depends on the oil or fat that was used to make it.

 Biodiesel is more likely to oxidize to form a semisolid gel-like mass.

8
Additives that can be used to counteract the
disadvantages:
The selection of biodiesel additives is mainly based on different properties of
additives such as flash point, fire point, viscosity, density, calorific value,
solubility etc. The use of additives in biodiesel also solves many technical
problems which limits the acceptability of biodiesel as an alternative fuel in all
conditions. Moreover, Emissions such as nitrogen dioxide carbon monoxide,
particulate matter, etc will be reduced when fueled with biodiesel additives.

 Cold-flow improvers improve the cold-weather performance of

biodiesel and improve its operating range by about five degrees by
limiting its ability to gel.

 Fuel stabilizers act as "antioxidants" to reduce the possibility of

oxidation degradation of the fuel.

 Antimicrobial additives: it is possible for microbes to grow in biodiesel,

resulting in clogged lines and fouled equipment. Antimicrobial
additives prevent this by killing off any existing microbes and
preventing them from returning.

 Addition of ethanol in small percentage in the blends of biodiesel increases

the brake thermal efficiency, increases the rate of heat release, reduces the
viscosity and reduces the smoke in the exhaust of the engine.

 Diethyl ether mixed with diesel-biodiesel blend improves the properties of

the blend and enhanced the performance and reduces the engine
pollutants.

 n-butanol has straight chain with OH group and has lower hydrophilic
nature. It has a high cetane number (Cetane index denotes the quality of a
diesel fuel), good solubility and higher heat content that can increase the
overall efficiency of the fuel.

9
Chemical Reactions involved in the production of
Biodiesel:
 In transesterification reaction, the triglyceride component of oil reacts with
the alcohol in the presence of a catalyst to give ester and glycerol. The
production of majority of biodiesel today is done through alkali catalysed
transesterification of edible vegetable oils.
Oil + alcohol → biodiesel + glycerin

 Used vegetable oil is then reacted with alcohol. In most of the cases
methanol is used because of better efficiency. However ethanol and
isopropyl alcohol can also be used:

 In general, there are three systems of transesterification with vegetable oil

or an animal fat as a starting material, they are homogeneous,
heterogeneous systems and enzymatic, based on the catalyst employed in
the process.

 The use of homogenous catalyst (such as NaOH and KOH) is limited only
for refined vegetable oil with less than 0.5 wt. % FFA (Free Fatty acids) or
acid value less than 1 mg KOH/g. Moreover, the removal of these catalysts
after the reaction is complete needs the washing of biodiesel with water
which might result in loss of Fatty acid alkyl esters, energy consumption
and generates large amount of waste water.

 Heterogeneous catalysts are the solids and are insoluble during the
reaction. Most of them are metal oxides like KBr/CaO. Heterogeneous

10
 (solid) catalysts are preferred over homogenous as they can be reused,
allow a better separation, have higher basicity, non-corrosive, can be
synthesized with a lower price, lower solubility easier to handle than
homogenous catalysts, Better quality of the final products and are
economical. However, these compounds require high temperatures,
pressure and more time to catalyse the reaction and can only be used while
producing Biodiesel industrially.

 It should be ensured that the catalysts and the fatty acids are moisture free
in order to avoid Hydrolysis reaction and have a maximum yield of
Biodiesel.

 Hydrolysis reaction:

 The triglyceride and alcohol should also have a low free fatty acid (FFA)
content of raw material to avoid the soap production (by alkaline catalyst
consumption) and low product yields.

 Saponification reaction(Side reaction):

 Transesterification process depends upon many parameters which are

reaction temperature and pressure, reaction time, rate of agitation, type of
alcohol used and molar ratio of alcohol to oil, type and concentration of
catalyst used and concentration of moisture and free fatty acid in the feed
stock waste oil.

11
Methodology to homebrew Biodiesel:
 Materials Required: One litre of Used Cooking Oil, Electric hot plate,
Cheesecloth, funnel, Seperatory funnel, Lye, Distilled water, Isopropyl
alcohol, Phenolphthalein solution, a graduated syringe or dropper, NaOH
crystals, Mason jar, Methanol.

 Precautions:
1) The brewing process of biodiesel involves flammable, poisonous, and
caustic chemicals, alcohols, and lye.

2) Keep all chemicals clearly labeled and sealed.

3) When handling methanol and lye, wear long sleeves, safety glasses, and
gloves made out of PVC.

4) Wash the gloves after each use, and be careful not to touch your skin or
eyes. Keep a water hose nearby in case of skin contact.

5) Methanol can be absorbed through the skin, so wash immediately with

water if contact occurs.

6) Immediately flush lye off skin with water or vinegar.

7) Methanol fumes are poisonous, so wear a mask, or hold your breath while
pouring, and work outside or with good ventilation.

 Procedure:

 Step 1: Filteration and Anhydration of the Oil:

1) Warm the used cooking oil to about 95ºF in a pot on an electric hot plate
(don’t use a gas burner), then filter it through a few layers of cheesecloth in
a funnel to remove any food particles.

2) The water will fall to the bottom, so you’ll risk steam explosions if the
temperature gets too high.

12
3) Pour the oil into a Seperatory funnel let it settle for at least 24 hours. Then,
slowly separate out the water, which would produce soap.

 Step 2: Titration process to determine the acidity of the Oil

and to calculate amount of Lye to be added during the
reaction to neutralise any FFA (Free Fatty Acids) Present in
the Oil:

1) Dissolve one gram of lye in one liter of distilled water (0.1% lye solution).

2) Then, in a small jar, dissolve 1ml of slightly warm oil in 10ml of isopropyl
alcohol.

3) Stir until clear, and then add two drops of phenolphthalein solution.

4) Using a graduated syringe or dropper, add the lye solution drop-by-drop

into the oil-alcohol solution, keeping track of how much is being used. The
more acidic the oil, the more lye solution needs to be added.

5) Stir constantly, and continue adding solution until the mixture stays pink
for ten seconds.

6) Note the number of milliliters of lye solution you used; this is the number
of extra grams of lye you’ll need to add per liter of oil.

 Step 3: Processing of the Oil:

1) Add 5 grams of NaOH plus one gram for every milliliter of lye solution used
as per the result of the titration process.

2) Measure and pour the lye solution required into a clean Mason jar.

3) Add 220ml of methanol, cover securely, and tip the jar to make sure the lid
doesn’t leak.

4) Then swirl or shake the jar gently until the lye dissolves fully. This will take
a few minutes, and the jar will become slightly warm in the process. The
mixture thus formed is known as the methoxide solution.

5) Warm a liter of your oil up to 130ºF.

13
6) Pour the oil into a large glass bottle, add the methoxide solution, cap
tightly, and shake for about five minutes

7) Empty this mixture into a seperation funnel and let it set.

8) In half an hour a darker, dirty, glycerin layer with some impurities will
start to sink toward the bottom, and a larger, lighter, biodiesel layer will
rise to the top.

9) Let the liquids continue to settle overnight.

 Step 4: Seperation and Wasing of the Biodiesel:

1) The seperation funnel now contains biodiesel, glycerin, mono- and di-
glycerides, soap, methanol, lye, and possibly a little leftover oil
(triglycerides).

2) The glycerides are all oil-soluble, so they’ll reside predominantly in the

upper, biodiesel layer. The thin layer of glycerin, which is water-soluble,
will sink.

Biodiesel

3) Soap, methanol, and lye, which are also water soluble, will be mixed
throughout both layers — although some of the soap can sometimes form
its own thin layer between the biodiesel and glycerin.

4) Separate out the glycerin layer and the soap layer (if it is visible).

14
5) The glycerides can be removed by processing the biodiesel again with
NaOH and again separating out the glycerin formed.

6) To separate any soap mixed in the biodiesel, Pour the Biodiesel into a large
glass bottle and gently add some warm distilled water to it.

7) Rotate the bottle end over end, until the water starts to take on a little bit of
white soapiness, which may take a few minutes.

8) Do not shake the bottle. The biodiesel contains soap, and if you overdo the
agitation, the soap, biodiesel, and water will make a stable emulsion that
won’t separate.

9) Separate the soapy water formed and repeat the sloshing and draining
process several times.

10) It takes a lot of water for this process. If the emulsification layer persists,
try applying heat, adding salt, and adding vinegar, in that order.

 Step 5: Drying of the Biodiesel:

1) After draining the last wash water away, let the biodiesel sit to dry in open
air until it’s perfectly clear, which may take up to a couple of days. In
general, the better the washing, the faster the fuel will clear.

2) The fuel can be dried faster by heating it at a low temperature as with the
evaporation method.

3) Once the fuel clears, it is ready to be used in a motor.

15
Conclusion:

 Usage of Biodiesel made from Used cooking oil has its own upsides and
downsides, but if more research work could be done on this subject to
increase its efficiency, it has a high potential of replacing Petrol-diesel and
becoming one of the major fuels used.

 Homebrewing of Biodiesel is a very lengthy process and needs a lot of

water as it is made from homogenous catalysts like NaOH or KOH.
However, Industrially produced Biodiesel can be synthesised with
Heterogenous catalysts like KBr or CaO which require more tempertature,
pressure and time, but lesser amount of water and catalysts can be reused.

 Synthesis of Biodiesel from Used cooking oil is extremely beneficial for the
environment and can be of great benefit to humans as a good source of
energy.

 Glycerin, which is a by product obtained in this reaction can also be used as

a raw material for various industrial commodities. The prodction of
Biodiesel does not produce any toxic by products wich can affect the
environment.

16
Learning Outcome and Experiences from the
Project:

 I was astonished by the idea of transforming used cooking oil which is a

nasty goop that looks so useless into biodiesel which is a source of energy
and I think this project shows us the beauty of chemistry.

 This project was more like a fun research to me, which I enjoyed doing
very much.

 This project has given me an amazing opurtunity to learn about how

chemistry concepts such as Transesterification process can be applied in
real life scenarios for human and environmental benefits.

 Reaserching for this project has led me to improve my knowledge about

Biodiesel production which I can use in the near future to experiment or
study further in this field to make my own discoveries and improvisation of
Biodiesel quality and sustainability.

 Working on this project has also given me a chance to become more

organised and has helped me improve my time management skills and
commitment.

 I learnt how addition of different compounds can be used to enhance the

quality of Biodiesel.

 I deeply regret not being able to do the home brewing experiment

practically due to current circumstances as I think it would be an
interesting experiment to do and could have given me the oppurtunity to
learn more.

17
18