EE0201

MAKING OF BIO-DIESEL FROM JATROPHA

1
KULDEEP SINGH 2
LALIT KUMAR

Abstract:
This paper exposes the hidden and unnoticed potential of agro- industrial activities in energy
sector.
India consumes more than 250MT of fossil fuels and ranks fifth in the world regarding the
consumption of fossil fuels. India’s contribution to the world’s carbon emission has increased
proportionally through vehicular pollution .The consumption of fossil fuels has lead India to take a
decisive step towards the production of bio-fuels, which is a viable alternative to the conventional
resources of energy.
There is an urgent need to accept the bio-diesel challenge as one of the five
technological options. The priority for bio-diesel is because of its cost economy, environmental
friendliness, and substitution to crude oil import.

Though there are many seeds like soyabean, castor, rapeseed, but jatropha remains the first
choice.

Key words:
Agro- industrial activities, Fossil fuels, Bio-fuels, Conventional resources , Jatropha.

Conclusion:
Jatropha can grow in both saline and alkaline soils, arid and semi arid conditions, low
slopes of hilly areas and degraded and abused soils.The abstract also presents the brief
chemical processing of bio-diesel from non-edible oils.Bio-diesel is most commonly made
by chemically altering any organic oil through the use of catalyst and an alcohol; typically
methanol .It is chemically known as fatty acid methyl ester.This paper highlights the
urgent need of processing bio- diesel as 30% substitute to diesel for power generation,
as the technology used is carbon neutral and clean.”
___________________________________________________
1. II B.Tech EEE, 2. II B.Tech EEE,
Hi-Tech college of Engg and Tech. Hi-Tech college of Engg and Tech.
Kuldeep.eee06@gmail.com kdeep.hyd@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION:
Mankind is facing three of the most massively dangerous problems,
The increase of the green house effect, which definitely puts the bio diversity in peril because of
the high speed of climate change.
The exhaustion of petroleum whereas the world’s economy is totally built on it.
The increasingly unbearable imbalance between the rich and poor countries, which causes greater
geo political, tensions worldwide.
“WORLD IS RUNNING ON OIL”
India consumes 250MT (million tonnes) of fossil fuels and ranks fifth in the world after China,
Japan, Russia, US. India’s contribution to the world’s carbon emission has increased proportionally
and automobiles alone contribute to 70% of the total diesel consumption. India is sixth in the
world’s energy demand accounting for 3.5% of world commercial energy consumption.
Oil provides energy for 95% of the transportation needs in India and the larger share of diesel is
need for transport purposes. Its consumption is expected to rise at an annual 5.6% rate and by 11.
Domestic supply can presently satisfy 22% of demand and dependence on crude oil imports (>18
billion $/a) is increasing.
Having a look at the present scenario of the world there a is an urgent need to accept the bio-
diesel challenge as one of technologies, as presided by his Excellency, the Honorable President of
Republic India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, stem cell research, molecules to drugs involving nano-
technology, interactive tele-education, Brahmos, and JATROPHA BIO DIESEL. Funding such
captive plant under a national programme is a prudent initiative and strengthening the small-scale
agro-industrial activity in the country.

“RESOURCES ARE SCARCE – ALTERNATIVES”

The consumption of fossil fuel has led world to take a step towards the
production of bio-fuels, which is viable alternative to the conventional resources
energy. Use of bio-fuels would generate employment and income in the rural areas and would
reduce emissions of GHG’s (green house gases) and also substitutes crude oil imports to a very
large extents almost 91%.

The use of petrol diesel in engines creates a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions that
can be greatly reduced by substituting a blend of bio diesel and petrol diesel or using 100% bio
diesel.

This paper exposes the hidden and unnoticed potential of the agro based industrial activities in the
energy sector.

“BIO-DIESEL”
Bio-diesel, a renewable fuel, is made of biomass materials like, vegetable oils, fats or
grease including restaurant of greases or oils.
 Bio-diesel, considered an equal replacement of petrol-diesel. It requires little or no engine
modification upto 20% blend and minor modification at high percentage blends with petrol-diesel. It
can be blended with petroleum in ratios of 2% (B2), 5% (B5), 20% (B20) or even 100% (B100).
The use of bio-diesel results in substantial reduction of un-burnt hydrocarbons, carbon
monoxide and particulate matters. It is considered to have almost no sulphur and has about 10% in
built oxygen, which helps in cleaner burning of fuel. Its higher cetane member improves the
combustion quality. Bio-diesel is safe, biodegradable, and non-toxic and emits fewer amounts of
pollutants.
Bio-diesel can be produced from plants such as rapeseed, palm, coconut, soybean, and
Jatropha curcas or from used cooking oil from restaurants. Regarding Clean Development
Mechanism projects, there is a great potential in the use of Jatropha curcas.
The study concluded that bio-diesel yields 3.2 units of fuel product energy for every unit of
fossil fuel consumed while petroleum diesel yields 0.83 units. Additionally, the study concluded that
over a lifecycle, that bio-diesel reduces net CO2 emissions by 78% in relation to carbon credits. It
has been estimated that 1 hectare of Jatropha curcas could result in CO2 emissions reductions of
10 tonnes per year (Francis and Becker 2001). There is a large potential for CDM bio-diesel
projects in many countries.

Variable AMOUNT
Total area (ha) 100
Trees (per/ha) 2500
Total Trees 250000
Bio-diesel Production
338800
(Litres/year)
CERs from Bio-diesel (Tonnes
940
CO2 e/year)
Risk related CER price range
5-25
($)
Total CER revenue ($/yr) 4700-23500

Bio-diesel production is a growing industry throughout the world. Interest in the use of the seeds of
Jatropha curcas, as well as other plants, to make the oil is rapidly expanding. CDM potential is
present in a large number of countries due to the number of types of plants from which bio-diesel
can be made. The time for realizing the potential of bio-diesel in the carbon market has arrived.

Bio-diesel is expected to be available on the market from 2005/2006 onwards. Work created of 300
“man” days /ha would allow 550,000 people to escape poverty in the first part of the program.
 Bottle of bio-diesel

BIO-DIESEL FROM JATROPHA (JATROPHA CURCAS):

Bio-diesel is most commonly made by chemically altering the molecular structure of any organic oil
through the use of a catalyst and an alcohol.

Bio-diesel can be produced from plants such as rapeseed palm, coconut, Soya bean or Jatropha
Curcas.

Jathropha oil making:

Preparation of Seeds
The ripe fruits are plucked from the trees and the seeds are sun dried. They are
decorticated manually or by decorticator. To prepare the seeds for oil extraction, they should be
solar heated for several hours or roasted for 10 minutes. The seeds should not be overheated. The
process breaks down the cells containing the oil and eases the oil flow. The heat also liquefies the
oil, which improves the extraction process.
Oil can be extracted from the seeds by heat, solvents or by pressure. Extraction by heat is
not used commercially for vegetable oils. The oil from Jatropha seeds can be extracted by three
different methods. These are mechanical extraction using a screw press, solvent extraction and an
intermittent extraction technique viz. soxhlet extraction

Purification of Oil
The oil extracted as above can be purified by the following means:

Sedimentation
This is the easiest way to get clear oil, but it takes about a week until the sediment is reduced to 20
- 25 % of the raw oil volume.

Boiling with water

The purification process can be accelerated tremendously by boiling the oil with about 20% of
water. The boiling should continue until the water has completely evaporated (no bubbles of water
vapor anymore). After a few hours the oil then becomes clear.

Filtration
Filtration of raw oil is a very slow process and has no advantage in respect of sedimentation. It is
not recommended
The improved expellers can more effectively carry out oil extraction by the following methods:
Method 1: Pre-pressing of seeds lightly can precede oil milling. This results in higher capacity;
lower power consumption, lower wear and tear and maintenance. The oil recovery is lower in this
case.
Method 2: Here either in the same screws press - two-stage pressing is carried out or pre-pressed
cake from first stage screw press in sent for second pressing to other screw press. Any kind of oil-
bearing seed can be processed in oil mill. Preparatory equipments are recommended prior to
expelling. Pressed cake can be sold after recovering the max. oil. Hence double pressing system is
recommended.
SOLVENT EXTRACTION IS RECOMMENDED FOR PLANTATION SIZE OF > 5000 HECTARES.
Solvent extraction of jatropha seeds yields the maximum seed oil that is, 37% by weight of seed, or
99% of the total available oil. Normally hexane is utilized in the solvent-extraction process
CAKE-A valuable
JATROPHA OIL organic fertilizer
Parameters (%)
Oil purity: 98.5% N: 5.7-6.48
FFA:5% max P2O5: 2.6-3.1
Admixture: 0.5% K2O: 0.9-1.0
Moisture: 0.8%
CaO: 0.6-0.7
MAX.
Nature: Crude MgO: 1.26-1.34
Density: 0.920
Cetane: 25 to 41

Jatropha Bio-Diesel Method:

Bio-diesel is actually very simple to make. It is chemically altering any organic oil typically
jatropha oil in India through the use of catalyst typically ester, and alcohol typically methanol.

Biodiesel production process

The processing steps for the most commonly used method, base catalyzed trans-esterification
would be as follows:
Generally this procedure can be followed to produce bio-diesel from fresh SVO and methanol in a
base catalyzed environment. The Steps below is a very much-summarized general guideline. Many
tips and tricks and safety recommendations have been left out for the sake of compactness. It is
good to read more about this before starting. Please notice that the methanol and lye involved are
quite dangerous chemicals. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear protective clothes
and glasses.

The following resources are required (all quantities are expressed per liter of J. OIL:
1 liter of J Oil; 5 grams of lye (caustic soda; NaOH (> 95%) or KOH (> 85%)); at least 220 ml of
methanol (> 99%).

1. First dissolve the lye into the methanol. Shake or swirl until all the lye has dissolved.
2. This may take 10 minutes. It is normal that temperature rises. This mixture is called sodium
methoxide.
Now make sure that J oil is in a vessel large enough (at least 150% of its volume), preferably with a
valve at the bottom, and heat it to about 60oC. Then add the methoxide mixture and make sure it is
mixed well for at least 10 minutes. Leave the vessel and let the different constituents separate by
sedimentation.

3. The glycerin will settle out at the bottom. After 8 to 24 hours the sedimentation is
complete and the glycerin can be drained off.

4. What remains is raw bio-diesel. If the reaction went well and the bio-diesel is
clear, it may be used straight, although its quality may be inferior because of
impurities. Water washing will remove most of these impurities.
Trans-esterification, also called alcoholysis, is the displacement of alcohol from an ester by another
alcohol in a process similar to hydrolysis. Methanol is most commonly used for the purpose since it
is the cheapest alcohol available. Ethanol and higher alcohols such as iso-propanol, butanol etc.
can be used for the esterification. Using higher molecular weight alcohols improves the cold flow
properties of bio-diesel but reduces the efficiency of trans-esterification process. The reaction is as
follows:

Bio-diesel: Physical Characteristics

Properties Values

Specific gravity 0.87 to 0.89

Kinematic viscosity@ 40°C 3.7 to 5.8

Cetane number 46 to 70

Higher heating value (Btu/lb) 16,928 - 17,996

Lower heating value (Btu/lb) 15,700 * 16,735

Sulphur wt % 0.00 - 0.0024

Cloud point °C -11 to 16

Pour point °C -15to13

Iodine number 60 135

 Bio-waste Production

Storage of Bio-diesel:
The efficient storage of bio-diesel resources can provide energy security to the country. Adequate
data are not available for long term storage of bio-diesel and blends. Based on the experience, bio-
diesel can be stored up to a max. 6 months. As a mild solvent, bio-diesel tends to dissolve
sediments normally encountered in old diesel storage tanks. Brass, Teflon, lead, tin, copper, zinc
etc. oxidize bio-diesel and create sediments. The existing storage facilities and infrastructure for
petrol and diesel can be used for the bio-diesel with minor alterations. Bio-diesel storage, shelf life
and how it might break down under extreme conditions assume importance. The following merit
attention for storage of bio-diesel:

• Bio-diesel has poor oxidation stability. Use of oxidation stability additives is necessary to address
this problem.

• Low temperature can cause bio-diesel to gel, but on warming it liquefies quickly. Hence,
insulation/jacketing of storage tanks and pipelines would need to be done at the low temperature
zones.

• To avoid oxidation and sedimentation of tanks with bio-diesel, storage tanks made of aluminium,
steel etc. are recommended for usage.

Why only Jatropha?

Jatropha curcas is a drought-resistant perennial, growing well in marginal/poor soil. It is
easy to establish, grows relatively quickly and lives, producing seeds for 50 years.
Jatropha the wonder plant produces seeds with an oil content of 37%. The oil can be
combusted as fuel without being refined. It burns with clear smoke-free flame, tested
successfully as fuel for simple diesel engine. The by-products are press cake a good organic
fertilizer, oil contains also insecticide.
It is found to be growing in many parts of the country, rugged in nature and can survive with
minimum inputs and easy to propagate.
Medically it is used for diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis, dropsy etc.
Jatropha grows wild in many areas of India and even thrives on infertile soil. A good crop
can be obtained with little effort. Depending on soil quality and rainfall, oil can be
extracted from the jatropha nuts after two to five years. The annual nut yield ranges from
0.5 to 12 tons. The kernels consist of oil to about 60 percent; this can be transformed into
bio-diesel fuel through esterification.

Distribution and habitat

 This highly drought-resistant species is adapted to arid and semi-arid conditions. The
current distribution shows that introduction has been most successful in the drier regions of the
tropics with annual rainfall of 300-1000 mm. It occurs mainly at lower altitudes (0-500 m) in areas
with average annual temperatures well above 20°C.t. It grows on well-drained soils with good
aeration and is well adapted to marginal soils with low nutrient content.
Botanical Features
It is a small tree or shrub with smooth gray bark, which exudes whitish colored, watery,
latex when cut. Normally, it grows between three and five meters in height, but can attain a height
of up to eight or ten meters under favorable conditions.

Leaves
It has large green to pale-green leaves, alternate to sub-opposite, three-to five-lobed with a
spiral phyllotaxis.

Flowers
The petiole length ranges between 6-23 mm. The inflorescence is formed in the leaf axil. A
flower is formed terminally, individually, with female flowers usually slightly larger and occurs in the
hot seasons. In conditions where continuous growth occurs, an unbalance of pistillate or staminate
flower production results in a higher number of female flowers.

Fruits
Fruits are produced in winter when the shrub is leafless, or it may produce several crops
luring the year if soil moisture is good and temperatures are sufficiently high. Each inflorescence
yields a bunch of approximately 10 or more ovoid fruits. Three, bi-valved cocci are formed after the
seeds mature and the fleshy exocarp dries.

Seeds
The seeds become mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow, after two to
four months.

Flowering and fruiting habit

The trees are deciduous, shedding the leaves in the dry season. Flowering occurs during
the wet season and two flowering peaks are often seen. In permanently humid regions, flowering
occurs throughout the year. The seeds mature about three months after flowering. Early growth is
fast and with good rainfall conditions nursery plants may bear fruits after the first rainy season,
direct sown plants after the second rainy season. The flowers are pollinated by insects especially
honey bees.
Ecological Requirements
Jatropha curcas grows almost anywhere, even on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can
thrive on the poorest stony soil. It can grow even in the crevices of rocks. The leaves shed during
the winter months form mulch around the base of the plant. The organic matter from shed leaves
enhance earth-worm activity in the soil around the root-zone of the plants, which improves the
fertility of the soil. Regarding climate, Jatropha curcas is found in the tropics and subtropics and
likes heat, although it does well even in lower temperatures and can withstand a light frost. Its
water requirement is extremely low and it can stand long periods of drought by shedding most of its
leaves to reduce transpiration loss. Jatropha is also suitable for preventing soil erosion and shifting
of sand dunes.
Bio-physical limits
Latitude: 0-500 m, Mean annual temperature: 20-28 deg. C, Mean annual rainfall: 3001000
Soil type: Grows on well-drained soils with good aeration and is well adapted to marginal soils with
low nutrient content. On heavy soils, root formation is reduced. Jatropha is a highly adaptable
species, but its strength as a crop comes from its ability to grow on very poor and dry sites.
The energy crop jatropha not only produces bio-diesel but also holds particular promise for
improving local economies and environments. It holds enormous potential for farmers in the near
future-especially for the two-thirds of the people in the developing world who derive their incomes
from agriculture. Farmers that produce dedicated energy crops can grow their incomes and grow
their own supply of affordable and reliable energy.
Hence, from a social and environmental point of view, Jatropha seems to be more
recommendable.

Advantages of Jatropha Bio-diesel:

 Bio-diesel is eco-friendly, i.e, much less polluting than petro- diesel and cost effective.
 It is a substitute to the crude oil imports to a very large extent and is also a solution to the
energy problem for developing countries like India.
 It can be used directly into the engine without any modification.
 It has no sulphur, which reduces the sulphur level in the atmosphere and makes engine
run smoothly.
 It is renewable, nontoxic and biodegradable.
 The press cake after the oil extraction has many mineral contents like nitrogen (6%),
phosphorus (2.75%) and potassium (.94%) can be used as organic fertilizer.
 The sediments during oil purification process can later be mixed, boiled with caustic soda
and water can be used for soap production.

Practical applicability of bio-diesel:

 Shatabdi Express trains are using B5 since December 2002 for there test runs.
 Gujarat and Haryana state road transport companies are running there buses using B5.
 Andhra Pradesh state road transport are also running there buses on bio-diesel numbered
AP11Z 4037, AP11Z 4049.
 Southern railway is using 100% bio- diesel for running of heavy vehicles likes jeeps,
trucks, forklifts, tractors etc.
 Dandeli Ferro alloys (Karnataka) estd. in 1995, is a heavy consumer of electricity. It
converted all five of its 1MW diesel engines to run on bio diesel generated 760 000kWh of
energy.

Bio-diesel in India
The MOPNG (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) has laid down a bio-diesel purchase policy
into effect from 1 January 2006. It prescribes that companies shall purchase bio-diesel of standard
quality through its notified centers at 25 rupees (USD 0.55) per liter initially). Depending upon the
market conditions, the oil companies will be free to review the price every six months. The policy
notes that the PRIs may in consultation with NOVODB (National oil seeds and Vegetable Oils
Board), DBT department of Biotechnology), and NBRI national Botanical Research Institute), who
are working on a network programme for making available good quality plants.
• The PCRA (Petroleum Conservation Research Association) has opened the NBC (National Bio-
fuel Centre) at its headquarters in New Delhi that has ‘root-to-canopy’ information to educate the
masses.
• The PCRA has also introduced a bio-diesel bank that recognizes the efforts of various bodies in
promoting bio-diesel. The bank awards credit points for work done on propagation, promotion, R&D
(research and development) efforts, imparting training,, and developing plants and machinery to
promote bio-diesel.
• Uttaranchal has constituted the UBB (Uttaranchal Bio-fuel Board) for the promotion of bio-diesel
in the state. Chhattisgarh has formed the CBDA (Chhattisgarh Bio-fuel Development Authority),
and the Andhra Pradesh government has set up a task force for the same. Several other states
have either formed task forces or promoted NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to take up
plantation.
• NOVODB has implemented an R&D network programme in the country to develop practices for
cultivation in nearly 1800 hectares in the country.
• The DBT has initiated the Bio-fuel Mission and the Jatropha Mini Mission to select good
germplasm, develop quality planting material, and standardize agro techniques. The CSIR (Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research) has initiated a network programme for genetic enhancement
in association with the industry under its prestigious NMTLI (New Millennium Technology
Leadership Initiative) programme.
• The NBRI, Lucknow, in association with Biotech Park, Lucknow has initiated efforts to educate
farmers, industry, and entrepreneurs to develop a model nursery, and model plantation; and to
effect certification of seeds for their oil. It has also partnered with the IIP (Indian Institute of
Petroleum), Dehra Dun, for providing end-to-end technology to industry. It provides consultancy to
several companies including the Tatas.
• IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology), particularly IIT Kanpur, are involved in testing engine
efficiency when run on bio-diesel while IIT Delhi is working on the protocols of machines for various
operations involved in producing bio-diesel.

Details about large-scale jatropha plantations in India

1. Reliance would take up jatropha plantation in an area of few thousand hectares in Andhra
Pradesh/Rajasthan/ Maharashtra /Gujarat.
2. The Government of Tamil Nadu along with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University is to
implement a developmental scheme on Jatropha curcas, and has a programme to cultivate in
40 000 hectares.
3. The Indian Railway is to raise jatropha along the railway track, and plans to plant jatropha along
25 000-kilometre routes on two sides of the track. They plan to replace 10°h of their total petro-
diesel consumption by jatropha. The project has been started on a pilot scale.
4. The Planning Board of Haryana government is planning to grow jatropha on 50 000 acres.
5. Rajasthan would bring 2.2 lakh hectares under jatropha.
6. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is working on 20 000 hectares of jatropha plantation
as part of a CDM (clean development mechanism) project.
7. Daimler Chrysler and Hohenheim University are conducting a research project in two different
climatic zones of India. Each plantation will consist of 20 hectares of jatropha trees planted on
wastelands.
8. ICC (Indian Oil Corporation) has planted one-lakh saplings on 70 hectares of railway land in
Gujarat.
9. The UBB (Uttaranchal Bio-fuels Board) has been constituted to bring two lakh hectares under
jatropha plantation by 2012. Here, plantation in 29 van panchayats covering an area of 350
hectares have been done.
10. In Haryana, 19 districts have gone for jatropha plantation. In 12 districts, 820 acres of land has
been brought under jatropha cultivation with the involvement of 146-gram panchayats.
 11. The Chhattisgarh government is planning to bring at least one million hectares of land under
jatropha cultivation by 2012.
12. DBT (Department of Biotechnology) has planted five lakh plants, and has brought 200
hectares of area under plantation.

Bio-diesel – world wide activities:

United States
 Currently the US has 81 operating ethanol plants, with 11 new plants currently under
construction.
 Hawaii has mandated that at least 85% of petrol sold in the state must contain 10%
ethanol from April 2006.

Canada
 Canada aims to have a 10% ethanol blend in 35% of all petrol sold by 2010.
 The worlds first commercially produced ultra low carbon ethanol fuel from wheat straw, is
being used in a 10,000-km coast-to-coast clean vehicle promotional tour supported by GM
Canada and Chevrolet.

Japan
 Initial reluctance by oil companies in Japan to take up ethanol was reflected in a Nippon
Oil statement announcing that six refineries were expected to commence blending, storage,
distribution and sales trials of ethanol this year. A prolonged international oil price crisis is
expected to bring this timetable forward.

China
 In early 2003 China eclipsed Japan as the largest user of oil in Asia, relegating
Japan to the position of fourth largest user of oil after the United States, Europe and China.
The International Energy Agency anticipates that the surge in Chinese demand for oil will
continue into the future.
 Although China is the third largest ethanol producer in the world (over 3 BL per
year), it is considered inevitable that Chinese demand for fuel ethanol for transport use will also
drive higher import levels in the future, along with higher investment in energy agriculture
capacity in producer countries.

World Bank
The Chief Scientist of the World Bank has stated the global challenge is to produce energy from
fossil fuels more efficiently, without emitting CO2 in the air, and also produce energy from
renewable fuel technologies.