Biodiesel production from blends of waste cooking oil and consortium of microalgae

Abstract

Biodiesel as an alternative fuel for diesel engines is becoming increasingly important due to depleting petroleum reserves and the environmental consequences of exhaust gases (co2, nitrogen and sulfur oxides) from Petroleum fuelled engines. The main environmental advantages of biodiesel are its sustainability in using as renewable fuel thus promoting independence from fossil fuel and maintaining the level of greenhouse gas (CO2) in the atmosphere. As a future prospective fuel, biodiesel has to compete economically with petroleum diesel fuels. Diverting food crops to fuel production may result in high food prices as it will significantly reduce the areas available for food production and remove forested lands to increase land for the production of energy crops that will have negative impact on biodiversity by devoting large tracts of land for monoc ular cultivation.The objective of this study was to investigate the production of biodiesel from blends of waste cooking oil and algal biomass using methanol with alkali as catalyst. Pretreated waste cooking oil was mixed with crude oil extracted from algal bio-mass at the ratio of 1, 2 and 3 to obtain the desired biodiesel. Optimum temperature, alcohol to molar ratio, waste cooking oil to microalgae ratio and catalyst concentration on Tran’s esterification process (biodiesel production) was investigated during experimental process. Physiochemical properties of biodiesel obtained from blends of waste cooking oil and algal biomass were determined. A total of 31.6 % of oil was extracted from fresh algae through the soxhlet apparatus as motioned in material and method. Four factors at three levels were considered in the alkali catalytic transesterfication process. The fuel properties tested are ASTM and EN standards and we are found to be very close to those of petroleum diesel. Study on fuel property using HPLC or GC analysis, blending conditions, engine performance and emission tests and techno economic analysis should be carried out in future studies. Waste cooking oil and algae to biogas production of biodiesel from microalgae to use as substitute of petroleum fuel and mitigate environmental pollutions caused by fossil fuel consumption