Evaluation of Biodiesel Produced from Blends of Sunflower Oil and Beef Tallow Through Base Catalysis

Abstract

The inclination towards climate change and environmental pollution mitigation directs this research toward creating an alternative fuel source to fossil fuel for use in developing tropical countries. This study is designed to investigate biodiesel (alkyl esters) obtained by transesterification of blends of refined sunflower oil and beef tallow using NaOH as catalyst. Triglycerides in the oils reacted with alkanols to produce fatty acid alkyl esters (FAAE) and glyerols as by-product. A pretreatment process of esterification was carried out to remove excess free fatty acids (FFA). Some physical properties such as pour point, cloud point, flash point, density and kinematic viscosity were investigated for the sunflower oil/beef tallow (SO/BT) ratios. The examined physical properties of the methyl esters changed significantly as the beef tallow ratio in the mixture increased in the mixtures. The ratios of 40%SO/60%BT and 60%SO/40%BT exhibited values within standard range of biodiesel and petroleum diesel of ASTM D 6751 and EN 1424. The values of the cold-flow properties of the biodiesel ratios obtained are of convenience for use in tropical regions rather than polar regions.