PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIODIESEL FROM JATROPHIC PINE

Abstract

The growing demand for petroleum-based energy has increasingly reduced its reserves. Aside from the fact that most of these reserves are concentrated in a minority of countries in constant conflict that, at times, increase the cost of oil. Concern about oil reserves, which can impact on future prices of fuel, coupled with the environmental impacts of greenhouse gas emission and soot generated during burning has instigated in recent decades, the search for alternative sources of these fuels. Therefore, vegetable oils appear as a viable and promising alternative to replace all or part of the fossil diesel fuel in internal combustion engines with compression ignition. The search for the introduction of biodiesel in the energy matrix has been a focus of many countries and trading blocs. This interest is founded on a tripod: (1) environmental (climatic conditions improved by reducing CO₂ emissions and the use of raw materials), (2) social (rural development associated with the production of raw materials) and (3) energy (independence from suppliers, consumers producing their own energy). In Brazil, several studies have been done with different oilseeds for biodiesel production. In these studies have been assessed bioenergy potential of each region, so that the production of biodiesel to fulfill one of its social functions is to generate employment and income in rural areas. In the Amazon, a potential oilseed for biodiesel production is Jatropha. Jatropha, scientifically known as Jatropha curcas L. is a native of tropical America, long resistant to drought and pests and diseases, and adaptable to soil and climatic conditions vary widely. It grows well in both tropical dry and humid equatorial zones, as well as in arid and rocky, and can withstand long periods of drought. This plant reaches up to 4 m tall, with flowers small and greenish-yellow fruit in the form of capsules with seeds dark, smooth, within which is a white almond, rich in oil. The seed can be 33.7 to 45% bark and 55 to 66% of almond. The seeds of Jatropha provide 50 to 52% oil, when extracted with solvent, and 30 to 35% in cases of extraction by pressing. In this context, given the favorable characteristics and natural availability of jatropha in the Amazon region, especially in properties near the Itacoatiara, was proposed in this work for obtaining and characterization of biodiesel from biomass. At first we tried to obtain exclusively ethyl biodiesel route, however, there are technical difficulties for a good separation of biodiesel from the glycerin. Later, they produced methyl biodiesel (100%), however, with the aim of using the smallest possible percentage of methanol, the transesterification reactions were performed using mixtures of methanol / ethanol in the proportions of 40% / 60% and 50% / 50% methanol / ethanol. As a result, it was found that methyl-ethyl biodiesel showed a higher yield when compared with the methyl biodiesel route. The performance for these ratios were 78.7, 88.0 and 88.7%, respectively. The acid value was 0.60, 1.06 and 0.74. The saponification index was 67.9, 64 and 55. Thus, the work contributed valuable data for studies on the production of biodiesel using methanol / ethanol.