Determination of Calorific Value and Rate of Combustion of Biodiesel Generated from Jatropha Curcas Seed Oil (Published)
Jastropha curcas Seeds were collected and processed. 200.00g of the processed seed were subjected to soxhlet extraction using methanol at 850C for 5 hours. The extract (Jatropha curcas oil) was removed from the extracting solvent (methanol) by rotary evaporation and concentrated to a constant weight using sterilizing hot air at 600C. Biodiesel was produced froma solution mixture (40.oocm3 concentrated Jatropha curcas oil and 360.00cm3 methanol) by base catalysed trans- esterification at 650C. The percentage of the biodiesel collected was evaluated and recorded. The calorific value, the percentage combustion, the combustion time and the rate of combustion of the biodiesel were determined. The work showed that the amount of biodiesel collected, the calorific value, the percentage combustion, the combustion time and rate of combustion of the biodiesel were 202.00 cm3, 714.00 J/75 cm3, 86.00 %, 1.19 second and 54.20 cm3/ second, respectively.
Keywords: Jatropar curcas seeds, biodiesel; base catalysed transesterification; calorific value; rate of combustion