High Vacuum Fractional Distillation (HVFD) Approach for Quality and Performance Improvement of Azadirachta indica Biodiesel

Abstract

Biodiesel offers an advantage only if it can be used as a direct replacement for ordinary diesel. There are many reasons to promote biodiesel. However, biodiesel cannot get wide acceptance until its drawbacks have been overcome including poor low temperature flow properties, variation in the quality of biodiesel produced from different feedstocks and fuel filter blocking. In the present study, a much cheaper and simpler method called high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) has been used as an alternative to produce high-quality refined biodiesel and to improve on the abovementioned drawbacks of biodiesel. The results of the present study showed that none of biodiesel sample produced from crude Azadirachta indica (neem) oil met standard biodiesel cetane number requirements. The high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) process improved the cetane number of produced biodiesels which ranged from 44–87.3. Similarly, biodiesel produced from fractionated Azadirachta indica oil has shown lower iodine values (91.2) and much better cloud (−2.6 °C) and pour point (−4.9 °C) than pure Azadirachta indica oil. In conclusion, the crude oil needs to be vacuum fractioned for superior biodiesel production for direct utilization in engine and consistent quality production.

Nano-Magnetic CaO/Fe2O3/Feldspar Catalysts for the Production of Biodiesel from Waste Oils

“…The densities of all the biodiesel samples were within the range specified in EN 14214 for karanja, wild mustard, and wild safflower. The acid value (AV) indicates the amount of free fatty acids present in biodiesel, with higher numbers indicating a higher acid content [27]. According to American (ASTM) and European (EU) standard requirements, the limit allowed level of AV in pure biodiesel is 0.50 mg KOH g -1 [28].…”

Optimization of Biodiesel and Biofuel Process

“…[21] In this study a much cheaper and simpler method called high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) has been used as an alternative to produce high-quality refined biodiesel and to improve the manufacturing process. [22] This study evaluates ethyl acetate (EA) as a solvent of two straight vegetable oils (SVOs), castor oil (CO), and sunflower oil (SO), to obtain EA/SVO double blends that can be used directly as biofuels, or along with fossil diesel (D) in triple blends, in the current compression-ignition (C.I.) engines.…”