Effect of Selected Metal Contaminants on the Stability of Castor Oil Methyl Ester

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) contaminants on the stability of castor oil methyl ester (COME). COME was synthesized via transesterification reaction and the peroxide value of the COME was used to monitor its stability. Varied amounts of Fe and Al (0.2 g, 0.4 g, 0.6 g, 0.8 g, and 1.0 g) in powdered form were added to 100 mL of COME and their effect on the peroxide value was monitored for a day, for the first phase of the experiment, while for the second phase, 0.3 g and 0.8 g of these metals were added to 100 mL COME, and their effect was monitored for 9 days. At the end of the study, it was observed that as the amount of the metals added to the COME increases from 0.2 to 1.0 g/100 mL COME, the peroxide values of the COME decrease from 1.6 to 0.3 meq/kg and 1.2 to 0.3-0.2 meq/kg for Al and Fe contaminated COME after 24 h. Also in the second phase of the experiment, the peroxide value of the 0.3 g Fe metal contaminated COME increased from 1.4 to 11.6 meq/kg while that of 0.8 g Fe contaminated COME increased from 1.4 to 3.0 meq/kg after the nine-day period of investigation.

Optimization of fuel properties of cottonseed biodiesel and its impact on engine performance and emission

“…NO x formation takes place in very high temperature. It is observed that the NO x emission was more in biodiesel as compared to diesel as it has high flash and fire point; however the use of additives reduced the NO x emissions as they inhibit the formation of free radicals [21]. Figure 8 illustrates the variation of NO x emissions and the load with neat diesel and various blends of biodiesel with and without contaminants.…”

“…In addition, copper was found to be showing most catalytic behaviour for oxidation of biodiesel. Akhabue et al [21] compares Fe and Al over the stability of castor oil methyl ester, Experimental study shows Fe provided better stability as compared to Al. With the rate of increase of metal contaminants, the rate of decomposition hydro peroxides was more than the rate of formation of hydro peroxides.…”