ABSTRACT

Growing concern regarding energy resources and the environment has increased interest in the study of alternative sources of energy. To meet increasing energy requirements, there has been growing interest in alternative fuels like biodiesel to provide a suitable diesel oil substitute for internal combustion engines. Biodiesel offer a very promising alternative to diesel oil since they are renewable and have similar properties. Biodiesel is defined as a transesterified renewable fuel derived from vegetable oils or animal fats with properties similar or better than diesel fuel. Extensive research and demonstration projects have shown it can be used pure or in blends with conventional diesel fuel in unmodified diesel engines. This paper reviews the biodiesel development and production practices from pumpkin oil. Fuel-related properties are reviewed and compared with those of conventional diesel fuel. The effect of use of biodiesel fuel on engine power, fuel consumption and thermal efficiency are collected and analysed with that of conventional diesel fuel. In the search for new low-cost alternative feedstocks for biodiesel production, this study emphasizes the evaluation of pumpkin seed oil. The experimental results showed that the oil content of pumpkin seeds was remarkably high (30%). The fatty acid profile of the oil showed that is composed primarily of linoleic, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids. The oil was chemically converted via an alkaline transesterification reaction with methanol to methyl esters, with a yield nearly 70 wt%. All of the measured properties of the produced biodiesel met the current quality. Although this study showed that pumpkin oil could be a promising feedstock for biodiesel production.

Key words: Biodiesel, Pumpkin oil, Methyl ester, Transesterification, Biodiesel properties.

LIST OF TABLE
S.No Title Page NO

1 2

Table 4.1 Fatty acid composition of pumpkin seed oil Table 4.2 Biodiesel testing to EN and ASTM Quality Standards

20 24

Table 5.2 Properties of Diesel and Biodiesel Fuels

26

Table 5.3 Fuel Properties as a Function of Fuel Composition in Diesel Engines

28

Table 6.1 Physicochemical properties of pumpkin seed oil

35

Table6.2 Properties of pumpkin oil methyl ester

37

LIST OF FIGURES
S.No Title Figure4.1 Worlds Top Pumpkin Production Country Figure 6.1 Agitator Page NO

1 2

15 31

3 4

Figure 6.2 Process Setup Figure 6.3 Basic Transesterification process

32 33

Figure 6.4 Mechanism of base catalysed Transesterification

34

Figure 6.5 Separation of glycerine and biodiesel form coconut oil sample 35

Figure 6.6 Extraction of oil

36

Figure 7.1 comparisons of flash point with coconut oil and pumpkin oil

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO.

TITLE

PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT LIST OF TABLE LIST OF FIGURES

iii xvi xv

INTRODUCTION 1.1.0 Introduction 1.2.0 History of biodiesel fuel 1.3.0 Green technology 1.4.0 Alternative fuels 1.4.1 Types of alternative fuels 2 3 4 5 5 7

2 3

LITERATURE SURVEY BIODIESEL 3.1.0 What is biodiesel? 3.2.0 Biodiesel fuel features 3.3.0 The benefits of biodiesel 3.4.0 Problems with and disadvantages of biodiesel 3.5.0 Objective of study

10 10 11 12

13

PUMPKIN SEED AND OIL 4.1.0 Climate condition 4.2.0 Economics of cultivation 4.3.0 Properties of pumpkin seeds 15 19 19

BIODIESEL STANDARD 5.1.0 Standards for biodiesel fuel 5.2.0 Biodiesel testing to EN and ASTM quality standards 22 23

5.3.0 ASTM standards for biodiesel fuels 5.4.0 Biodiesel Improves Engine Operation 5.4.1 Storage Stability 5.4.2 Biodiesel (B100) 5.5.0 Requirements for biodiesel 6 EXPERIMENTAL SETUP 6.1.0 Process setup 6.2.0 Precautions 6.3.0 Production of biodiesel 6.4.0 Transesterification 6.5.0 Testing of the oil

24 24 25 25 27

31 32 33 36 37

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 7.1.0 Biodiesel yield 7.2.0 Characterization of biodiesel 7.3.0 Utilization of seed cake 7.4.0 Future work 40 41 43 43 45 46 48 50

8 9 10

COST ESTIMATION TEST RESULT CONCLUSIONS REFERENCE

11