CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLE 3
LIST OF FIGURE 4
PREFACE 5
CHAPTER 1: Overview of Biodiesel 6
1.1 What is Biodiesel? 6
1.2 Biodiesel fuel’s Properties 8
1.2.1 Composition 8
1.2.2 Viscosity 9
1.2.3 Cetane Number (CN) 9
1.3 Feedstock for Producing Biodiesel………………………………………………...10
1.4 Application of Biodiesel…………………………………………………………….12
CHAPTER 2: Production of Biodiesel 14
2.1 Catalysis for process of Biodiesel production 14
2.1.1 Homogeneous catalysts 14
2.1.2 Heterogeneous catalysts 17
2.2 Catalytic mechanism 27
2.2.1 Heterogeneous solid acid-catalyzed esterification mechanism 27
2.2.2 Transesterification mechanism 28
2.3 Other Methods or Technologies for Biodiesel production 32
2.3.1 Microwave technology 32
2.3.2 Ultrasonic technology 32
2.3.3 Ionic liquids 34
Conclusions 35
References 36




















List of Table
Table 1.1: Compositon of comon FAME…………………………………………………….8
Table 2.1: Composition of various oils and fats…………………………………………..13



















List of Figures
Page
Fig. 2.1: A simple block flow diagram for a typical base - catalysed process for the production of biodiesel……………………………………………………………..…………….15
Fig. 2.2: A simple block flow diagram for a typical acid - catalysed process for the production of biodiesel………………………………………………………………………….17
Fig. 2.3: Preparation process of sulphonated amorphous carbon from glucose and lignin.
21
Fig. 2.4: SEM images of (A) hydrotalcite and (B) calcined hydrotalcite at 500 oC for 6 h.
23
Fig. 2.5: Solid acid- catalyzed reaction mechanism of esterification. 28
Fig. 2.6: Transesterification reactions of glycosides with alcohol. 29
Fig. 2.7: Acid-catalyzed reaction mechanism of transesterification. 30
Fig. 2.8: Base-catalyzed reaction mechanism of transesterification. 31










Preface
Gasoline usage is as high as ever, and world petroleum supplies will eventually dwindle. One possible alternative to petroleum as a source of fuels and lubricants is biodiesel. Biodiesel, a fuel made by tranesterifying the fatty acids found in vegetable oil, has some real advantages over regular diesel fuel. Biodiesel produces fewer pollutants such as particulates, carbon monoxide, and complex organic molecules, and since vegetable oils have no sulfur, there is no noxious sulfur dioxide in the exhaust gases. Also, biodiesel can run in existing engines with little modification. In addition, biodiesel is much more biodegradable than petroleum-based fuels, so spills cause less environmental damage.
For all these properties and advantages below, “Biodiesel” is researched to find out a new energy source for humans.















CHAPTER 1: Overview of Biodiesel
1.1 What is Biodiesel?
Among the alternatives for fossil diesel, biodiesel has been widely investigated due to its renewability, comparable properties to fossil diesel and the reduction in main emission products. Biodiesel is mainly comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids. Normally feedstock such as vegetable oil and animal fat is used to produce biodiesel through transesterification method. With the on-going development of biodiesel, the categorization of biodiesel is developed. Generally biodiesel can be categorised by the readiness of feedstock and produce technologies. The biodiesel made from vegetable oil and animal fats using transesterification methodis normally recognised as first generation biodiesel. The second generation biodiesel, Biomass to liquid fuel is to turn cellulose into fuel components (enzyme fermentation orgasification through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis), and the feedstock theoretically can be any biomass such as waste agriculture, wood chips... Some biodiesel from jatropha, algae,...., despite being produced by transesterification method, is widely regarded as second generation due to the technical challenge of feedstock planting and harvesting. Normally, the second generation biodiesel can supplement the drawbacks of the first generation bio‐diesel particularly being noncompetitive with food. Different from above definition, another new fuel, Hydrotreated vegetable oil, using the same feedstock as 1st generation biodiesel, is viewed as second generation biodiesel, and Biomass to liquid is third generation.
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for diesel engines that is receiving great attention world wide. Although it attracts the most attention because it is renewable, it can be used either pure or in blends with diesel fuel in unmodified diesel engines, and it reduces some exhaust pollutants. It is also attractive because it can be produced easily from common feedstocks. However, the relative simplicity of biodiesel production can disguise the importance of maintaining high quality standards for any fuel supplied to a modern diesel engine