Chemistry

Investigatory
Project

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Formation Of Bio Diesel

Punit Gaur
XII B
Roll No.-
 Acknowledgement

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

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duration of the project. Without her motivation and
help the successful completion of this project would
not have been possible.

Punit Gaur
XII - B
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Punit Gaur of class XII has completed

the chemistry project entitled

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‘FORMATION OF BIO DIESEL’

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Himself and under my guidance. The progress of the project
has been continuously reported and has been in my knowledge
consistently.

SUBJECT INCHARGE:-

Mrs.
 Contents

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 Acknowledgement

 Certificate

 What is Biodiesel?

 Uses of Biodiesel

 Preparation of Biodiesel

 Reactions involved

 Biodiesel fuel features

 Disadvantages of Biodiesel

 Bibliography
 What is Biodiesel?

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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

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 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 soybeans in the United 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

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Requirements:

 Vegetable oil
 Antifreeze (Methanol)
 Lye (NaOH)
 Blender
 Scales
 Plastic containers
 Funnels
 Plastic bottle with lid
 Duct tape
 Thermometer
Steps Involved:

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Step 1:
Measure out 200 ml of antifreeze and put it in one plastic container.

Step 2:
Add in lye so that the antifreeze is absorbed.

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.
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Step 5:
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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.

Step 6:
Separate out the biodiesel by pouring into a glass bottle.

Step 7:
Prepare a wash bottle by poking a small hole in the corner of the bottle and
covering it with duct tape.

Step 8:
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
drain the 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

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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

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
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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% less).

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

 Biodiesel is a plant-based & using it adds no extra CO 2 greenhouse gas

to the atmosphere.

 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.

 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

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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
dispensing & 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.
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Combustibility/Safety: Biodiesel has a very high flash point (300⁰F)
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
sulphur” 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-forming- hydrocarbons, hazardous diesel particulate, acid rain-
causing sulphur dioxide, lifecycle carbon dioxide.
 Disadvantages of Biodiesel

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 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 of oil is the soybean, which only is only 20% oil. However, the
costs of 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 biodiesel 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:

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 Google

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 Free encyclopedia on biodiesel

 iCBSE.com

 Transesterification chemistry for

preparing biodiesel

 Biodiesel features

 Making your own biodiesel

 Fact file of biodiesel