(373a) Comparison Studies on the Production of Biodiesel and the Analysis of Its Properties and Potential from Pongamia and Waste Cooking Oil

ABSTRACT: Biodiesel is an alternative diesel fuel that is produced from oil seeds, vegetable oils and animal fats. It consists of the monoalkyl esters formed by a catalyzed reaction of the triglycerides in the oil or fat with a simple monohydric alcohol. Methyl or ethyl esters are the product of transesterification of vegetable oils with alcohol (methanol/ethanol) using an alkaline catalyst. In addition, the process yields glycerol, which has large applications in the pharmaceutical, food and plastics industries. Much of the process complexity originates from contaminants in the feedstock, such as water and free fatty acids, or impurities in the final product, such as methanol, free glycerol, and soap. Processes have been developed to produce biodiesel from high free fatty acid feedstocks, such as recycled restaurant grease, animal fats, and soap stock and pongamia oil and thus the results were compared.