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BIO-DIESEL FOR IC ENGINES

JATROPHA: A BOON FOR AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRIES
Samrat.S.theertha. T.A.Phani Shankar
emperor_sam86@yahoo.com coolphani4u@yahoo.co.in
B.V.B.C.E.T. HUBLI.

Abstract:
The concept of ALTERNATIVE FUELS in a fast catching trend, primarily in non oil producing nations like
India, Brazil etc. Among them Bio-Fuel is probably the most catchy phrase that is being repeatedly stressed upon.
Thought is being given only to the feasibility of various plant extractable fuels from the technical point of view. This
paper however deals with the feasibility of Bio Fuels as an alternative fuel from the point of view of its potential to
offset regular agricultural products on account of it having commercial value if established as a feasible alternative.
This paper, from food security point of view expresses thoughts towards the pros and cons of adopting bio fuels more
specifically, JATROPHA. Unlike petroleum biofuel is renewable and bio degradable. Burning it is cleaner than the
burning fossil fuels as it produces a fraction of the CO 2. Carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the productions of
bio fuels are likely to be less than 15% compare to petrol diesel.

. 250 kg of oil per acre. The species of oil-bearing

Keywords: Bio-diesel, Jatropha Promotion,
Plantation , Economy,Comparision , Performance
in race car
1. Introduction to jatropha as a bio fuel
Fig no1:
plants that are raised as field crops have been
subjected to intense plant breeding input, and
therefore yield at least four times as much oil.
Jatropha is a plant that can survive under adverse
conditions, but under poor agronomic conditions,
the yield would be even lower. And there are many
other species, that would give more money per unit
area than Jatropha, even on waste land.

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

Originating in the Caribbean, the jatropha was

Jatropha Shrub or tree grows to height of 6 m, with
spreading branches and stubby twigs, with milky or
yellowish rufescent exudates. Leaves deciduous,
alternate but apically crowded, ovate, acute to
acuminate, 3 to 5-lobed in outline, 640 cm long,
635 cm broad, the petioles 2.57.5 cm long.
Flowers several to many in greenish cymes,
yellowish, bell-shaped; sepals 5, broadly deltoid.
spread as a valuable hedge plant to Africa and Asia
by Portuguese traders. Currently the tree is widely
used as a poverty reduction measure in Tamil
Nadu, India. The rail line between Mumbai and
Delhi is planted with Jatropha and the train itself
runs on 15-20% biodiesel. Useful in drought
conditions the trees provide watershed restoration,
permaculture, oil for generators and water pumps,
and compost and enclosures for gardening. This
method is called the "Jatropha System".

Jatropha curcas (Kattamanakku) is an oil plant. The
botanic name Jatropha is derived from Greek,
"Jatras" meaning Doctor and "trophe," Nutrition
The potential of Jatropha oil as a diesel substitute
has already been recognized by Indian scientists,
and several landowners in India have even started
plantations of this tree. It is however still a very
low yielding wild plant, yielding on an average
about 200 to 500 kg seed per acre. In fact, this is
true of most of the oil-bearing tree species in India.
Most of them do not yield more than about 100 to
Bio diesel includes a high cetane number, low
sulphur , low volatility and the presence of Oxygen
atoms in the fuel molecule
Expected efficiency is achieved through Bio diesel.
Bio diesel performs better than the Petroleum
diesel
A. Chemistry of jatropha:
Analysis of the Jatropha seed shows the following
chemical composition:
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Moisture 6.20%
Protein 18.00 %
Fat 38.00 %
Carbohydrates 17.00 %
Fiber 15.50 %
Ash 5.30 %
The oil content is 35 40% in the seeds and 50
60% in the kernel. The oil contains 21%
saturated fatty acids and 79% unsaturated fatty
acids .There are some chemical elements in the
seed which are poisonous and render the oil
not appropriate for human consumption.
Few advantages of Jatropha are given below:
Bio-Diesel are agriculture oriented
Jatropha is adapted to a wide range of
climates and soils
Jatropha bi- diesel readily mixes with
diesel fuel and it runs in any diesel engine
without modification.
It can grow almost on any type of soil
whether gravelly, sandy or saline and
thrives even on the poorest stony soils and
rock crevices.
A number of researches have shown that
jatropha bio-diesel has fuel properties and
provides engine performance that is very
similar to diesel fuel.
Bio Diesel are non toxic, bio degradable
and renewable fuel
The tree grows up to a height of 3 meters, which
means harvesting is an easy task. A hybrid variety
of jatropha could give three harvests a year,
compared to two harvests by other varieties of
jatropha. It takes two years for a 'Jatropha' sapling
to begin producing seeds, and they can produce
seeds for up to 30 years. The seeds are crushed to
extract raw oil; Jatropha seeds contain about 35%
of non-edible oil
2. Reasoning for the promotion of jatropha
project:
33 Million hectares of wasteland have been allotted
to tree plantation in India. Jatropha can grow well
on wastelands with little inputs. The plantation
yields upto 5 tones/hectare oil seeds possible under
optimum conditions. If the potential is fully
realized Indias current diesel annual requirement
of 40 Million tones can be easily met. It is
surprising that 5 tones of oilseeds can produce 2
tones of bio-diesel which can be used in
automobiles, other agro industrially useful bi-
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products.
Jatropha Curcas plants grow on poor degraded soils
and are able to ensure a reasonable production of
seeds with very little inputs. It is not grazed by
animals. It is highly pest and disease resistant.
Bio-diesel from Jatropha are similar to the Bio-
diesel produced from rape seed oil which could be
used in any automobile. Brand which has been
approved for its use by the manufacturers without
any modification to use engine or accessories.
Fig no2:
Economics of Jatropha bio-diesel:
Many experts say different data regarding the yield
of the jatropha plantation. It varies from 500 kgs to
1500 kgs per hectare in the rain-fed areas to about
4000 kgs to 12,000 kgs per hectare in the irrigated
land. However, there is no commercial plantation
in India to estimate the yielding pattern of the
jatropha.
Based on the practical experience gained by an
organization located in Maharahstra, which is
involving in research & development of Jatropha
plantation since 1995, it is found that the yield of
jatropha will not exceed more than 1500 kgs per
hectare in rain-fed area and the yield would be
increased to 4000kgs per hectare if there are proper
watering facilities. It also suggests that a minimum
quantity of water is required throughout the
lifetime of the plantation for maximum yielding.
In India it is estimated that cost of Bio-Diesel
produced by trans-esterification of oil obtained
from Jatropha Curcas oil-seeds shall be
approximately same as that of petroleum-diesel.
The cost of bio-diesel varies between Rs. 16.59
14.98 per litre.
To improve the economics of jatropha plantation
and bio-diesel processing, there are many activities
including value-addition have been recommended
by various R & D institution. Some of them are
shown as below:
Inter Cultivation many crops have been
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identified as suitable crops for intercropping.
Honey Bee keeping Which inturn help in
improving the yield by helping the cross-
pollination
Medicinal Products:
Silk Worms Growing recommended type of
worm is Eri by Central Silk Board:
Biomass ( fruit covers) as fuel;
Cattle feed manufacturing by de-toxification of
the cake.
Glycerol identification & utilization of
glycerine which is a by-product from the trans
esterification process; and most importantly
Manufacturing Bio-Lubricants from the jatropha
oil.
Status of Jatropha Plantation & Processing Units
many organizations are working on the
development of bio-diesel sector in India and few
entrepreneurs/farmers have started the plantation of
bio-crops. However, there is no single commercial
biodiesel processing unit in India mainly due to
non-availability of seed for bio-diesel production
The plantation of tree bearing non-edible oil seeds
has not been undertaken on a large scale in India
even there is a large potential for bio-crop
plantation and for setting up of bio-diesel
processing units. As yet, the people are not aware
of the potential of Jatropha curcas to give economic
returns from degraded unproductive lands, fallow
lands and field boundaries.
Cost of Cultivation:
Cultivation expenses are approximately
Rs.18,900/- acre in the year of establishment.
The annual expenses may be Rs.2,500/- annum
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There are many gaps in the knowledge relating to
the field of plantation of Jatropha curcas and other
oilseed bearing tree species, processes,
technologies, economics & management issues
related to plantation of bio-crops and bio-diesel
processing units, government policies, financial
resources and marketing of the products, which
need to be filled up through knowledge transfer to
farmers & entrepreneurs
Fig no 3
Table no1:
Wasteland-Scenario: XA vast land area in India is
classified as below marginal/wasteland. It is
estimated that currently about 100 million hectares
has been designated as wasteland (mostly under the
control of the Government or its agencies) in India
and is not under regular farming. It is estimated
that even if 10% of total wasteland in brought
under cultivation of bio-crops, India can produce
about 4-5 million MT per annum of bio-diesel,
which is about 5% of
the diesel demand.
therefore.
The gross income is around Rs.15,000/-
The net return is Rs.10,000/- after deducting the
annual harvesting and maintenance charges.
Income level is maintained for another ten years.
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Therefore the yield increases to 4500 kgs per acre given in Table:2 below :
and enhances the profit proportionately
ITEM VALUE

3. Marketing: Acid value 38.2

Processing firm produces curcas oil which is Saponification value 195.0
subjected to further products namely bio-diesel,
soap and bio-manure. Supply of these products is Iodine value 101.7
invested to be sold through whole sales/retailers.
The firm may supply glycerine produced from Viscosity (31oC) "Fatty 40.4
curcas oil, to soap manufacturing units. Oil cake acid"
would be sold through retailers of fertilizer shops
or directly to farmers. This is also to be sold to Palmitic acid % 4.2
livestock feed manufactures as input raw material.
Joint products of bio-diesel soap and bio-manure Stearic acid % 6.9
will be viable venture.
Alternative to Diesel Oleic acid % 43.1
It is significant to point out that, the non-edible
Linoleic acid % 34.3
vegetable oil of Jatropha curcas has the requisite
potential of providing a promising and Other acids % 1.4
commercially viable alternative to diesel oil since it
has desirable physicochemical and performance
The chemical analysis of Jatropha curcas oil is

The comparison of properties of Jatropha oil and standard specifications of diesel oil are shown in
Table:3 below:

Specification Standard Standard specification of

specification of Diesel
Jatropha oil

Specific gravity 0.9186 0.82/0.84

Flash point 240/110 C 50 C

Carbon residue 0.64 0.15 or less

Cetane value 51.0 50.0 up

Distillation point 295 C 350 C

Kinematics 50.73 cs 2.7 cs up

Viscosity

Sulpher % 0.13 % 1.2 % or less

Calorific value 9 470 kcal/kg 10 170kcal/kg

Pour point 8 C 10 C

Colour 4.0 4 or less

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Jatropha Oil in Comparison with Diesel Fuel are shown in table:4 below:

4. D1 Oils to Test Bio-diesel in Performance curcas, a tree that grows in Africa, South East Asia
Race Car: and India. Jatropha seeds produce a high yield of
vegetable oil that can be refined into bio-diesel.
D1 Oils plc (D1), the UK-based global producer of
Unlike other bio-diesel feedstocks, such as
biodiesel from renewable energy crops, is to test
rapeseed, soy and palm, which require arable land
the performance of green diesel fuel by sponsoring
to produce economic yields, jatropha grows on
the entry of a biodiesel powered car in the Le Mans
waste and marginal land and its planting will not
global series of sports car races. The D1 Lola B2K
displace essential food crops in developing
car will be powered by a high performance diesel
countries.
engine modified to run on a mix of regular diesel
and bio-diesel produced from vegetable oils. The Disadvantage:
objective is to test the performance, fuel efficiency
and emissions produced by different bio-diesel One of the main disadvantages of growing
blends. The D1 car and engine are being developed jatropha plant is that it would hamper the
for Le Mans Prototype racing by groupBio, a UK- food security of the country. To eradicate
based racing team. this government should take some measures
before providing licence to the jatropha
Under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation
(RTFO), announced by the government in
Parameter Diesel Jatropha Oil
November, UK garages will be required to sell
diesel blended with bio-diesel to a minimum level Energy content (MJ/kg 42.6 - 45.0 39.6 - 41.8
of 5% by 2010. Biodiesel produces lower
emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases than Spec. weight (15/40 C) 0.84 - 0.85 0.91 - 0.92
mineral diesel, and is produced from vegetable oils
derived from energy crops. These absorb CO2 as Solidifying point (C) -14.0 2.0
they grow, making the net carbon emissions
neutral. D1s objective is to test fuel blends Flash point (C) 80 110 - 240
containing 5% (B5), 20% (B20) and 50% (B50)
bio-diesel, and research the performance and Cetane value 47.8 51.0
characteristics of bio-diesel made from different
vegetable oil feedstocks. Sulphur (%) 1.0 - 1.2 0.13
D1s bio-diesel feedstock of choice is jatropha planters
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5. Conclusions:
As diminishing fossil reserves climite
change we can major global concerned, a litel
know tree has potential to become one of the
worlds key energy crops. Vegetable oil ,
extracted from the seeds of the jatropa can be
refined in to bio diesel for use in either in pure
form or as blended with mineral diesel.

Jatropa bio-diesel is clean fuel which

will reduce green house gas emision from
tracpost that to contribute to global warming. By
using bio-diesel to meet portion of transport fuel
needs, countries can reduces their relince on
increasingly scarc and expensive high carbon,
mineral diesel.

Jatropa grown in tropical and

subtropical climate tipically found trough out
most of the developing world. Consequently
planting and cultivation, in the process of
refining in to it bio-diesel, will potentially
provide jobs and incomes for millions of
agriculture workers and formers across the
developing world.

6. References:

1] Abraham A. 1956. Tapica Cultivation in

India, Indian Council Agr.Res

2] M. Mittelbach, C Remschimdt,
Biodiesel, the Comprehensive hand book

3] Gopalkrishnan, C & Kasturi, P. 1980,

The economics of biomass energy. A study
of agricultural waste

4] www.jatrophasystem.com

5] www.saynotojatropha.com

6] www.csir.com