BIODIESEL PRODUCTION

The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil presents a sustainable approach to waste management and alternative fuel generation. This study investigates the use of Manganese Magnesium Binary Oxide (MMBO) nanoparticles as a catalyst for biodiesel synthesis. The physicochemical properties of waste cooking oil were analyzed before and after esterification, revealing significant reductions in acid value (2.973 mg KOH/g to 1.85 mg KOH/g) and free fatty acid content (1.4865 mg KOH/g to 0.925 mg KOH/g), which improved feedstock suitability for biodiesel production. A comparative analysis of biodiesel produced using MgO and MMBO nanoparticles demonstrated the superior catalytic efficiency of MMBO-NP, yielding 84.6% biodiesel compared to 65% with MgO. The biodiesel produced with MMBO-NP exhibited favorable fuel properties, including a lower kinematic viscosity (3.89 mm²/s), reduced acid value (0.35 mg KOH/g), and improved density (875 kg/m³), aligning with ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. Despite meeting most standard requirements, the flash point (77°C) and cold flow properties (cloud point: 32°C, pour point: 39°C) indicate potential areas for further optimization. These results highlight the potential of MMBO nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst in biodiesel production, promoting a more effective and environmentally friendly conversion of waste cooking oil into biodiesel.

The components of bio-waste are particularly abundant in essential minerals like calcium and potassium, which are essential for the manufacture of effective biocatalysts for biodiesel. This study evaluated the potential of bio-based heterogeneous catalyst of fused cockle shells and watermelon peels for the transesterification of waste vegetable oil. At 900°C and 500℃, the waste materials were dried, calcined, and carbonized, respectively. In order to evaluate the compositional, morphological, structural, and thermal features of both the catalyst and the precursor materials, they were both characterized. The Box-Behnken design was utilized to generate 29 experimental runs to examine the impact of operational parameters such catalyst loading, temperature, methanol-to-oil molar ratio, and reaction time. The presence of basic (calcium and potassium) and acidic oxides (silicon and nickel) demonstrated that the catalyst was bifunctional. The catalyst's surface area (105.35 m2 /g) and pore volume (0.60 cm3 /g) obtained from the BET analysis contributed to a 91.77% biodiesel yield at 63.34 °C reaction temperature, 149.41 min reaction time, 1.05wt% catalyst loading, and a 14.45:1 methanol to oil ratio. The physicochemical parameters of the biodiesel produced were measured and determined to be acceptable according to the European National (EN) and American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM) quality standards, demonstrating the product's suitability for use as fuel.

The potential of calcined agrowastes particularly chicken eggshells (CES) impregnated with ripe plantain peels (RPP) as a suitable catalyst for the conversion of waste cooking oil to biodiesel (FAME) by trans-esterification was investigated. The catalyst derived from these agro-wastes was synthesized by dry impregnation using physical mixing. The free fatty acid (FFA) content of waste cooking oil used for transesterification was measured to be 0.131%. The reaction conditions with methanol to oil molar ratio of 6:1, reaction time of 90 minutes, catalyst loading of 2% oil weight and a temperature of 60°C was kept constant while the catalyst’s design mixing ratios of ‘RPP: CES’ was varied. The FT-IR, XRD and elemental analysis by XRF revealed the catalytic action of these materials (RPP and CES) is a result of their metallic content (K+ and Ca 2+ ) and their microstructural formation change is noticeable when calcined at above 700°C. The experiment was carried out by the trans-esterification of the oil using each of the different designed catalyst samples to investigate the influence of their different mixing ratios on biodiesel yield. The results of the chart plots using Microsoft Excel 2010 showed that the optimum biodiesel yield consistent with ASTM D-6751 and EN 14214 standards was 75.04 % and the catalyst mixing ratio of 1:3 by mass was the optimal design ratio

This research aimed to develop a sustainable and efficient method for making biodiesel from a mix of neem and yellow oleander oils, using a catalyst made from chicken bones. The oils' properties were examined, created and tested the catalyst, optimized the transesterification process, and checked that the biodiesel meets ASTM D6751 and EN14214 standards. The oil analysis looked at free fatty acids (FFA), viscosity, density, iodine value, and fatty acid profiles. Neem oil had an FFA of 5.2%, viscosity of 5.93 mm²/s, and an iodine value of 76.4; yellow oleander oil had an FFA of 3.8%, viscosity of 4.02 mm²/s, and iodine value of 73.86. The catalyst was prepared by calcining chicken bones at 800°C for 3 hours, resulting in calcium oxide with a surface area of 154 m²/g. Tests with SEM, XRD, XRF, FTIR, and BET confirmed it was effective and stable. By optimizing the transesterification process through Response Surface Methodology (RSM), a biodiesel yield of 88.46% was achieved. The optimal conditions identified were a methanol-to- oil ratio of 14:1, a reaction duration of 180 minutes, a catalyst loading of 6% by weight, all maintained at a steady temperature of 65°C