A

Project report
On
“BIODIESEL”

Submitted for

Bachelor degree of science

In

BOTANY
[DSE (IV), Hons.]

From
UTKAL UNIVERSITY, BHUBANESWAR

Session 2020-21

Guided By: Submitted By:

Ms. Ipsita Biswal NAME- Adarsha Rani Das
Lecture in Botany +3 III YR.SC (VI. Sem )
SBSC, Angul ROLL NO- 1802010210170011

Submitted to:
DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY
SIDDHI BINAYAK +3 SCIENCE COLLEGE
[ISO Certified – Affiliated to Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Under CBCS]
Angul, 759122
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the research work described in this thesis entitled
“BIODIESEL” has been carried out in the Dept of botany,Sidhhi Binayak +3
Science college , Angul .

I further , certify that the thesis embodies the record of original investigation
carried out by Adarsha Rani Das bearing ROLL NO. 1802010210170011. This
work is original and has not been utilized in part or for any other degree or diploma
of any university . In my judgment the work is adequate and merit consideration
for the award of partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of B.sc In
Botany.

X X X
Signature of the Principal Signature of external Signature of the guide
 DECLARATION

I Adarsha Rani Das of B.sc Final year, Botany Hons. Student of Siddhi Binayak +3
Sc. College, Angul, do here by solemnly declared that the project work submitted
by me is own work and has been developed independently by me.

X
Signature of candidate
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I proudly express my deep sense of gratitude to
my respected teacher and guide Ms. Ipista Biswal , Lecturer in Botany,
Siddhi Binayak +3 Science college, Angul for her sincere guidance and
cooperation during the period of preparation of this project . I owe my
deep sense of gratitude to all my teacher in the department of Botany,
Siddhi Binayak +3 science college, Angul. I am also grateful to Capt.
Benudhar Lenka, Principal, Siddhi Binayak 3 Science College, and
Angul for providing facilities for this project work. I also thankful to my
beloved parents for their encouragement and being the constant source
of inspiration for the for the completion of this project work. I am also
thankful to all my friends for giving valuable suggestion and helping me
in the preparation of this project work.
 Biodiesel

Table of Contents
Page

Project Overview 1

Part 1: Making Biodiesel 2

Part 2: The Chemistry of Making Biodiesel 9

Part 3: Does Biodiesel Work in the Cold? 11

Part 4: ARisk–BenefitAnalysis 13

Extension: Determining the Energy Content of Biodiesel 14

Project Overview

Previous science courses probably taught you that molecules store chemical potential
energy, which can be released when chemical bonds in matter are broken and new bonds
are formed. Maybe you’ve even completed an experiment to determine the energy in a
sample of food or fuel. Whether oil is crude or plant-based — peanut oil, palm oil, olive
oil, or canola oil — it has molecules that are often described as “energy rich.”

Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, demonstrated in 1900 at the world’s fair
in Paris that an engine could run on peanut oil rather than petroleum-based fuels.

Considering the current concern over the depletion of crude oil reserves and the growing
demand for energy, Diesel was quite a visionary when mentioned, in 1912 that

Even though the use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem
insignificant today, such oils may become in the course of time as
important as the petroleum and coal tar products of the present time.

Diesel’s insight about the potential of plant-based oils as an energy source is being
demonstrated by people using waste vegetable oil from restaurants as a fuel in their
diesel-engine powered vehicles. Around the world, some governments and some
corporations within the energy industry are promoting the production of biodiesel, the
fuel produced by the modification of vegetable oils.

The yearly consumption of diesel fuel in North America is 245.5 billion litres, most of
it for transportation of goods and people. The production and sale of blended diesel
fuels, which contain a percentage of biodiesel (e.g., 20% in the case of biodiesel B-20)
mixed with petroleum-based diesel fuel, is a growing industry in Europe, where sources
of petroleum-diesel are limited. Concerns about depleting petroleum sources elsewhere
in the world, including North America, have forced governments and the oil industry to
consider biodiesel as a means to offset some of the demand forpetroleum-diesel.

In this project, you will investigate the production and use of biodiesel, focusing on the
chemistry of its production, the practicality of its use at low temperatures, the energy
changes associated with its use, and the sustainability of this energy source.
Materials:
• lab balance (if using NaOH or KOH base in solidform)
• 2 × 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks andstoppers
• 100 mL graduatedcylinder
• 50 mL graduatedcylinder
• disposable pipettes or a turkeybaster
• thermometer
• warm water bath (40–60°C)
• 100 mL oil (a different oil for each group is best; possible oils are canola, olive,
safflower, lard (warmed to liquid), strained deep fryer oil, grape seed, flaxseed,
and sesame. Avoid nut oils because of potentialallergies.)
• 20 mL methanol
Cautionary note: Flammable, dangerous fire risk, toxic by ingestion
• ONE of the following base solutions or solid base crystals: 15 mL of 1.0 mol/L
NaOH(aq), 15 mL of 1.0 mol/L KOH(aq), 0.6 g of NaOH(s), 0.9 g of KOH(s)
Cautionary note: NaOH and KOH solutions and solids arecorrosive
• Safety goggles, gloves, andaprons

Safety:
• You must wear goggles, gloves, and anapron.
• Methanol is flammable and poisonous. Dispose of excess methanol by allowing
it to evaporate in a fume hood, or as directed by yourteacher.
• The finished product should be stored in a sealed container and away fromheat
sources.
Procedure:
Note: Biodiesel is made using three main components: oil, alcohol, and a base catalyst.
This procedure provides a variety of alternative materials that you could use
to produce the biodiesel. Your teacher will direct you to which materials you will
be using.

Making Biodiesel:

1. Measure out 100 mL of oil using a graduated cylinder, and pour the oil into one of
the Erlenmeyerflasks.

2. Record observations of colour, viscosity, clarity, and other aspects ofthe

appearance of the starting material (oil).

3. Check that the temperature of the water bath is between 40 °C and 65 °C. Place the
Erlenmeyer flask containing the oil sample into a water bath set up by yourteacher.

4. While your oil is warming, measure out 20 mL of methanol using a 50 mL

graduated cylinder and pour it into a second Erlenmeyerflask.

5. To the Erlenmeyer flask containing the methanol, add ONE of the following:
15 mL of 1.0 mol/L NaOH(aq) solution, 15 mL of KOH(aq) solution, 0.6 g of
NaOH(s), or 0.9 g of KOH(s). Swirl your mixture of methanol and base gently
to mix. This mixture is calledmethoxide.
• If using a solid base, the mixture should be swirled or stirred until the solid base
dissolvescompletely.
• To prevent evaporation, this mixture should be stoppered until it is ready to
be added to the oil.

6. Pour the methoxide mixture into the warm oil in the Erlenmeyerflask.

7. Stir, swirl, or stopper and gently shake the mixture for several minutes. The
mixture will become cloudy and turn a milky colour. A stopper or aluminum foil
can be used on the flask to controlfumes.

8. If the reaction is successful, you should start seeing two layers developing inside
the flask. The heavier glycerin will start to settle to the bottom soon after you stop
mixing the reactants. The biodiesel will be in the upper layer. The biodiesel varies
in colour depending on the oil used. This will take at least an hour, but longer is
better. The mixture should sit overnight to completelyreact.
Collecting Biodiesel (Best completed the next day):

9. Use a disposable pipette or a turkey baster to

carefully remove the top layer, containing the
biodiesel, from the Erlenmeyer flask andmove
it to a clean graduatedcylinder.
Biodiesel from canola oil (top layer)
10. Record the volume of the biodiesel transferred
from the Erlenmeyer flask in Table 1 on page6.

11. Record observations of colour, viscosity,

clarity, and other aspects of the appearance
of the starting material (oil) and the product
(biodiesel) collected in Table 2 on page6.

12. Place the biodiesel into an appropriately

labelled container. Ensure that the contents Glycerin (bottom layer)
of the container are identified, and add an
appropriate WHMIS label, your name, and
today’sdate

Note: This is crude biodiesel and is NOT of a high enough quality to put directly into a
vehicle. In industrial processes, it must go through a process called “washing” to
remove excess glycerin, base, and alcohol.
Burning the Biodiesel (Your teacher may demonstrate this step):

13. Biodiesel can be safely used in spirit burners. Pour some of your biodiesel into a
spirit burner. Once the biodiesel has soaked up the wick, light the wick of the spirit
burner. If the biodiesel does not soak up the wick, use the pipette to place a few
drops on the wick. Record your observations in Table 3 on page6.

14. Try burning the unreacted oil and the methanol in other spirit burners. For each
different fuel tested, record your observations in Table 3 on page6.

15. Store the remainder of the biodiesel in an appropriate container labelled with your
name. This may be used for Extension A of thisproject.
Part 2: The Chemistry of Making Biodiesel
Use the following unbalanced chemical equation to answer the next four
questions.

Biodiesel Reaction
Part 3: Does Biodiesel Work in the Cold?
Diesel engines differ from combustion engines in that they are lubricated by the fuel
combusted, not by oil added to the engine. A second difference is that a diesel engine
starts and stops with fuel in the system. A challenge for the designers of diesel engines is
the change in the properties of diesel fuel that occurs at lower temperatures: it becomes
a thick and viscous gel. This property of diesel is of particular concern in Alberta where
temperatures during winter can be extremelylow.

The viscosity of liquids can easily be compared using a 100 mL burette and a stopwatch.
By measuring the time required for 100 mL of your fuel to flow from the stopcock of
the burette, you can determine the viscosity of fuels. Another means of determining
viscosity, used commonly in the fuel industry, is to measure the fuel’s cloud point(the
temperature at which small, solid crystals first appear as the fuel is cooled). Determining
a fuel’s cloud point is important because gelled or crystallized fuel will prevent the proper
operation of a diesel engine.

Analysis:
3.1 You are given the task of developing a diesel-fuel that must contain some
biodiesel and that must be acceptable for use in Alberta. Describe an experiment
you would perform in order to

• determine the proportion of biodiesel/petrochemical diesel that would be most

acceptable for use in cold Albertatemperatures.
• state the manipulated, responding, and controlled variables for yourexperiment.
Part 4: A Risk–Benefit Analysis
Our society is dependent on petroleum products for heat, electricity, and transportation.
Unfortunately, petroleum is a limited and non-renewable resource. In addition, the
supply of petroleum products is not always reliable, resulting in fluctuating fuel prices.
Researchers are searching for ways to supplement and/or replace petroleum fuels, and
consumers are looking for cheaper alternatives.
Biodiesel is a fuel that has been proposed as either an alternative or as a means to
supplement petroleum-diesel or gasoline.

Complete a risk–benefit analysis to answer the following question: Should the

production and sale of biodiesel be promoted in Canada? Use the Internet and other
text sources as well as information you collected, analyzed, and evaluated while doing
this project to help you formulate your opinion.

In preparing your analysis, consider a variety of issues including the following:

reliability, safety, economic impact, environmental impact, accessibility of the resource,
production potential, long-term viability as a resource, and other relevant issues.
Supporting statements should be provided for all opinions and evaluations made.

Present your risk–benefit analysis as a poster, PowerPoint presentation, or flowchart.

Extension: Determining the Energy Content of Biodiesel
Purpose:
In this section of the lab, you will use the formula Q = mc∆T, listed on page 5 of the
data booklet. Prepare a formatted spreadsheet that calculates the energy released by the
vegetable oils used as reactant materials and compares it with the energy of the different
biodiesel fuels produced by the process used in Part 1 of the project (MakingBiodiesel).

Materials:
• 3, 25 × 200 mm test tubes
• distilledwater
• vegetable oil (used as a reactant in Part1)
• methanol (the alcohol used in Part1)
• biodiesel (produced from vegetable oil
in Part1)
• 3 spiritburners
• test-tube clamp and stand
• thermometer and clamp
• safety goggles, gloves, andaprons
• 50 mL graduatedcylinder
• matches

Procedure:
1. Use an electronic balance to measure the mass of three spirit burners containing the
following three fuels: vegetable oil, methanol, and biodiesel (prepared in Part 1).
Record the mass of each burner in Table 4 on page6.
2. Use a graduated cylinder to measure 30.0 mL of distilled water, and transfer the
water to a 25 × 200 mm test tube. Place the test tube in a test-tube clamp attached
to a stand. (Note: Use the approximation that 1 mL of water has a mass of 1.0g.)
3. Position the test tube so that the bottom of the test tube is 2 cm above the wick of
the unreacted spirit burner containing the vegetableoil.
4. Use a thermometer to measure the initial temperature of water inside the test tube.
Record the initial temperature of the water in Table 4 on page6.
5. Light the wick of the spirit burner and use the flame to heat the bottom of thetest
tube for 60 seconds.
6. Remove the spirit burner from underneath the test tube, and use the burner lid
to extinguish theflame.
7. Use the thermometer to measure the final temperature of the water. Record the
temperature in Table 4 on page6.
8. Measure the mass of the spirit burner, and record the value in Table 4 on page6.
9. Repeat steps 2 through 8 using a new test tube with water and the spirit burner
containing the alcohol.
10. Repeat steps 2 through 8 using a new test tube with water and the spirit burner
containing the biodiesel produced in Part 1 of theproject.
Observation Table, and Analysis and Assessment:
Prepare a spreadsheet using the column headings shown below. Input the data collected
from the experiment into the appropriate cells in the table. Add rows as necessary if other
oils and biodiesels are tested.

Table 4: Data for Burning Fuels

Mass of Mass of
Spirit Spirit
Mass of Burner and Burner and
Water (g) Specific Heat Initial Final Contents Contents
Type of 1 mL of Capacity Temperatur Temperature Before After
Fuel Used in H2O (l) has ofWater e of Water of Water Combustion Combustion
Burner a mass of 1.0 (J/g.°C) (°C) (°C) (g) (g)
g
4.19
4.19
4.19
*Use the formula Q = mc∆T to calculate the energy absorbed by the water in 1 minute.

1. Add the following four columns to yourspreadsheet:

• Mass of Fuel Burned (g)
• Temperature Change of Water(°C)
• Energy Released by Fuel in One Minute(J)
• Energy Released per Gram of Fuel Burned(J/g)

2. Select the cell in the first row of data under the heading “Mass of Fuel Burned(g).”

3. Identify the appropriate values that appear in the first row of data, and construct a
formula that enables the spreadsheet to calculate the mass of fuel that was burned in
the first spirit burner during theexperiment.

4. Repeat the process using appropriate values from the second row of the data table
to have the spreadsheet calculate the mass of the fuel burned in the second spirit
burner.

5. Repeat as above using the data for the thirdburner.

6. Repeat step 2 to have the spreadsheet calculate values to appear in the following
columns: Temperature Change of Water (°C), Energy Released by Fuel in One
Minute (J), and Energy Released per Gram of Fuel Burned(J/g)