PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM MAHUA OIL

AND
STUDY OF PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
AT SINGLE COMPRESSION RATIO
ProjectWork Report
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For The Award of The Degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY

In
MECHANINCAL ENGINEERING

By
SUDHEER VYDADI 11L31A03A3
SHAIK LAHARI BASHA 12L35A0314
VANGAPANDU SIDDHARTHA 11L31A03B1
NALAMATI DINESH 11L31A0376

Under the Guidance of

Mr. K. S. RAGHURAM
(Associate Professor)
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Vignans Institute of Information Technology

(Approved by AICTE and Affiliated to JNT University, Kakinada)
NAAC Accredited & ISO 9001:20008, ISO 14001:2004
Beside VSEZ, Duvvada, Visakhapatnam-530046

April 2015
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
VIGNANS INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Beside VSEZ, Duvvada,Visakhapatnam-530046

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report entitled PRODUCTION OF

BIODIESEL
FROM
MAHUA
OIL
AND
STUDY
OF
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS AT SINGLE COMPRESSION RATIO has been
submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vignans Institute of
Information Technology, Visakhapatnam in partial fulfillment for the award of
Degree of Bachelor of Technology, is a record of bonafide work done by:
NAME OF THE STUDENT
SUDHEER VYDADI
SHAIK LAHARI BASHA
VANGAPANDUSIDDHARTHA
NALAMATI DINESH

ROLL NUMBER
11L31A03A3
12L35A0314
11L31A03B1
11L31A0376

Under my guidance in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the
Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering of Jawaharlal Nehru
Technology University, Kakinada during Academic year 2011-2015

Dr. B.SATEESH
(Professor & HOD)

Mr. K.S.RAGHURAM
(Associate Professor)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING,

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING,

VIGNANS INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,

VISAKHAPATNAM

VIGNANS INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,

VISAKHAPATNAM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our profound appreciation to our beloved Principal
Dr. Alice Mary for extending the official support for the progress of the project
and for providing necessary facilities to carry out this project work.
We would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to our Associate Professor
and project guide Mr. K. S. RAGHURAM, for his immense and whole hearted
involvement in the project. He had given us a splendid and gracious guidance,
meticulous and unstinting cooperation throughout the work on our thesis
"PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM MAHUA OIL AND STUDY OF
PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS AT SINGLE COMPRESSION RATIO".
We are extremely grateful to him for helping at every stage of this work; really
memorable.
We sincerely thank all the Staff Members of the Department for their humbleness
and heart full support in all stages of the project work and completion of this
project. This project report would not have taken such a form without their
encouragement and cooperation.
Last but not the least, we would to thank our parents, friends and all others who
contributed to this project by their encouragement and made this project a
Successful one.

ABSTRACT
Biodiesel, a promising substitute as an alternative fuel has gained
significant attention due to the predicted shortness of conventional fuels
and environmental concern. The utilization of liquid fuels such as biodiesel
produced from mahua oil by transesterification process represents one of
the most promising options for the use of conventional fossil fuels. The
mahua oil is converted into mahua oil methyl ester known as biodiesel
prepared in the presence of homogeneous acid catalyst. The physical
properties of mahua oil are studied and performance tests are carried on
VCR-variable compression ratio engine and these performance reports are
studied and are compared with diesel as a base line analysis.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Description PAGE NO
CERTIFICATE i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii
ABSTACT iii
CONTENTS iv
LIST OF FIGURES v
LIST OF TABLES vi
NOMENCLATURE 1
SCOPE OF THIS THESIS 2

Contents

1 CHAPTER-1 ................................................................................ 3
1.1 Introduction ...................................................................... 3
1.2 Need for Biodiesel ............................................................... 3
1.3 Why can vegetables oils be used as diesel fuels ................... 5
1.4 Background and Sources .................................................... 5
1.5 Development of Biodiesel in India ....................................... 6
1.6 Vegetable Oil acts as a C .I. Engine Fuel................................7
1.7 Technical Aspects .................................................................8
1.8 ALTERNATIVE FUELS ....................................................... ..8
1.9 Brief Explanation about the Alternative Fuels..................... 10
1.9.1 A. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)....................... 10
1.9.2 B. Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG)..........................11
1.9.3 C. Methanol.........................................................11
1.9.4 D. Ethanol.......................................................... 11
1.9.5 E. Hydrogen ........................................................ 12

1.9.6 F. Biogas............................................................. 12
1.9.7 G. Producer gas .................................................. 12
1.9.8 H. Blast furnace gas............................................ 13
1.9.9 K. Coke oven gas ................................................. 13
1.9.10 L. Benzol .......................................................... 13
1.10 NEED FOR ALTERNATE FUEL ......................................... 13
1.11 Selection of an Alternative Fuel ........................................ 16
2 CHAPTER-2 ............................................................................... 18
2.1 Mahua (Madhuca Indica) Oil.............................................. 19
2.2 Botanical Features: ........................................................... 19
2.3 Flowering: ......................................................................... 19
2.4 Fruiting: ............................................................................ 20
2.5 Kernel: .............................................................................. 20
2.6 Storage of Kernels: ............................................................ 21
2.7 Propagation: ...................................................................... 22
2.8 Block Planting: .................................................................. 22
2.9 Diseases: ........................................................................... 23
3 CHAPTER-3 ............................................................................... 25
LITERATURE SURVEY ............................................................ 25
4 CHAPTER-4 ............................................................................... 29
4.1 Biodiesel Production Methods ............................................ 29
4.2 Direct use and Blending: ................................................... 29
4.3 Pyrolysis (cracking):........................................................... 30
4.4 Micro emulsion: ................................................................ 31
4.5 TRANSESTERIFICATION.................................................... 31
5 CHAPTER-5 ............................................................................... 43
5.1 Difficulties and Problems we faced ..................................... 49
6 CHAPTER-6 ............................................................................... 51
6.1 TEST PROCEDURE............................................................ 51
6.2 FORMULAE ....................................................................... 52
6.3 TEST EQUIPMENT............................................................. 54
6.4 TEST REPORT ................................................................... 56
7 CHAPTER-7 .............................................................................. 70
7.1 CONCLUSION.................................................................... 70
7.2 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK ............................................. 71
8 CHAPTER-8 ............................................................................... 72
8.1 REFERENCES ................................ .................................. 72
8.2 WEBSITES ........................................................................ 72
8.3 BIO-GRAPHY....................................................................73

LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER-1

Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure

1-Mahua Seeds ................................................................. 18

2-Mahua Tree Branch........................................................ 18
3-Mahua Flower Buds ....................................................... 18
4-Oil Extraction Press ....................................................... 19
5-Oil Press Diagram .......................................................... 18

CHAPTER-2

Figure 6-TRANSESTERIFICATION REACTION ............................... 34

Figure 8-Flow chart of Transesterification process ........................ 36
Figure 9-Flow Chart of laboratory biodiesel preparation ................ 43
CHAPTER-6
Figure 15-Cooling of Re-Heated Mahua oil .................................... 45
Figure 14-Adding of Sulfuric Acid in Acid treatment ..................... 45
Figure 16-Heater with Magnetic Stirrer......................................... 46
Figure 17-Methanol.......................................................................46
Figure 18-NaOH Base on weighing machine ................................. 47
Figure 19-Dissolving of Base in Methanol ..................................... 47
Figure 21-Distillation after Base Treatment .................................. 48
Figure 20-Glycerin Settling in Separating funnel .......................... 48
Figure 22-Separating Funnel after water wash.............................. 48
Figure 23-Water wash .................................................................. 48
Figure 24-A Sample of Biodiesel produced .................................... 49
Figure 25-Mahua Oil Biodiesel after Base Treatment ....................49
Figure 26-Noticing Temperature during reaction........................... 50
Figure 27-Regulating Temperature while reaction ......................... 50
CHAPTER-7
Figure 30-VCR Engine.................................................................. 54
Figure 31-IP,BP and FP for Diesel................................................. 64
Figure 32-IP,BP and FP for MOB .................................................. 64
Figure 33-IMEP,BMEP and FMEP for Diesel.................................. 65
Figure 34-IMEP,BMEP and FMEP for MOB ................................... 65
Figure 35-Air and Fuel Flow consumption for diesel ..................... 66
Figure 36-Air and Fuel Flow consumption for MOB ...................... 66
Figure 39-SFC and Fuel consumption for Diesel ........................... 68
Figure 40-SFC and Fuel Consumption for MOB ............................ 68
Figure 41-Torque,Mechanical and volumetric Efficiencies for Diesel 69
Figure 42-Torque, Mechanical and volumetric Efficiencies for MOB69

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER-2
Table 1-Characteristics of fat ....................................................... 20
Table 2-composition of fats........................................................... 21
CHAPTER-7
Table 3-VCR Experimental Setup Specifications ........................... 55
Table 4-Observation Data1 for Diesel ........................................... 56
Table 5-Observation Data2 for Diesel ........................................... 57
Table 6-Result Data1 for Diesel .................................................... 57
Table 7-Result Data2 For Diesel ................................................... 57
Table 8-IP,BP&FP for Diesel ......................................................... 58
Table 9-IMEP,BMEP&FMEP for Diesel .......................................... 58
Table 10-Air and Fuel Flow for Diesel ........................................... 58
Table 11-Indicated Thermal, Brake Thermal Efficiency for Diesel...59
Table 12-SFC and Fuel Consumption for diesel ............................ 59
Table 13-Torque,Mechanical and Volumetric Efficiency for diesel .. 60
Table 14-Observation Data for Mahua oil Biodiesel ....................... 61
Table 15-Observation Data2 for MOB ........................................... 61
Table 16-Result Data1 for MOB .................................................... 61
Table 17-Result Data2 for MOB .................................................... 61
Table 18-IP,BP and FP for MOB .................................................... 62
Table 19-IMEP,BMEP and FMEP for MOB..................................... 62
Table 20-Air and Fuel Consumption for MOB ............................... 62
Table 21-Indicated Thermal and Brake Thermal Efficiency for MOB63
Table 22-SFC and Fuel Consumption for MOB ............................. 63
Page | 1

NOMENCLATURE
FFA Free Fatty Acid
ICE Internal Combustion Engine
CI Compression Ignition
HC Hydro Carbons
IC Internal Combustion Engine
CNG Compressed Natural Gas
LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas
CO Carbon monoxide
BF Blast Furnace
MO Mahua Oil
FAME Fatty acid Methyl esters
BF Brake power
IF Indicated power
FP Frictional power

BMEP Brake Mean Effective Power

IMEP Indicated Mean Effective Power
VCR Variable Compression Ratio
TDC Top Dead Centre
BDC Bottom Dead Centre
MME Mahua Methyl Ester

VIGNAN'S INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYVISAKHAPATNAM

DEPARTMENT OF MECHCANICAL ENGINEERING
PROJECT BIO-GRAPHY
(Batch No.28)
Name: K.S. RAGHURAM

Designation: Associate Professor

Mobile: +91 9550013119
Email: k_sraghuram@yahoo.co.in
CANDIDATES PHOTO
CANDIDATES PHOTO

Name : SUDHEER VYDADI

BASHA
(11L31A03A3)
Mobile: +91 9491802909
7207505026
Email: sudheervydadi@gmail.com
sbasha365@gmail.com

Name : VANGAPANDU SIDDHARTHA

DINESH
(11L31A03B1)

Name: SHAIK LAHARI

(12L35A0314)
Mobile:+91
Email:

Name: NALAMATI
(11L31A0376)

Mobile: +91 7386933626

8106658550
Email: crazysid.v.16@gmail.com
dinesh143volley@gmail.com

:+91
Email: