Production of methyl biodiesel using purified oil of Moringa oleífera lamarck

Abstract

This study describes the extraction, characterisation, purification and conversion of the Moringa oleífera Lamarck oil in biodiesel. The seeds selected were separated into oilseeds grains and seed husks. The oil was extracted from the Moringa oleífera seeds using two different procedures: mechanical pressing and solvent extraction with hexane. The extraction yields of the crude oil were of 11.36%(by mechanical pressing) and of 36.48%(by solvent extraction), respectively. The crude oils were characterised in indexes of acidity, peroxide, iodine and saponification, besides the specific mass, kinematic viscosity, turbidity, and contents of ash and humidity. The crude oil mix formed was submitted to the treatments of degumming, neutralisation, washing and drying. The mixed purified oil was characterised in a similar way to the crude oils, and converted to methyl biodiesel. A homogeneous alkaline transesterification used, 1:6 molar ratio (oil: methanol), at 60 °C, for 60 mins, with KOH as catalyst and mechanical stirring at 300 rpm. The purified biodiesel was characterised in terms of specific mass (869 kg m-3; 20 °C), kinematic viscosity (5.5 mm2 s-1, 40°), ester content (86.2%, in bench scale, and 98.23%in microscale), acidity value (0.43 mg KOH g-1) and water content (615.8 mg kg-1).