Biodiesel Production from Jatropha Seeds

This work was performed to extract oil from Jatropha seeds and to study the optimum conditions of extraction. The extraction process was observed with regard to oil yield percent versus time to calculate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameter. On the other hand, Jatropha oil was used as feed stock for biodiesel production by alkali catalyzed methanolysis. The optimum condition for the production process was studied depending on the methyl ester content. The Jatropha biodiesel was blended with 10, 15, and 25% with petroleum diesel and the thermo-physical properties were studied. All the measured properties of Jatropha oil and biodiesel are determined by international standards ASTM6751-07b, with exception of lower oxidation stability.