Abstract

In this study, biodiesel was prepared by transesterification reaction of waste cooking oils using a heterogeneous catalyst (CaO/NaF) prepared from waste eggshells, which can be reused for several cycles, and the optimal conditions for the preparation were studied. This work aims to prepare and evaluate biodiesel according to the quality requirements specified in international standards and to study the possibility of mixing it with petroleum diesel fuel at the ratios of 5%, 20%. Biodiesel was obtained with a yield of 94.5% under the optimum reaction conditions: mol oil to alcohol ratio (1:9), catalyst ratio (4% of oil weight), temperature 60 °C and reaction time of 120 minutes. The pure biodiesel (B100) was characterized by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC.MS) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The physical and chemical characteristics of the prepared biodiesel B100 and biodiesel samples mixed with petroleum diesel (B5, B20) were also studied. The results showed that the physical and chemical specifications of biodiesel samples (B100, B5, B20) were in accordance with the American (ASTM) and European (EN) standards.

Keywords: Biodiesel; Transesterification; Egg shells; Waste cooking oils; Sodium fluoride; Petroleum diesel

Nomenclature: ASTM: American Society for Testing Materials; EN: European Standards; B: Biodiesel; B100: (100% biodiesel); B20: (80% diesel and 20% biodiesel); B5: (95% diesel and 5% biodiesel); FFA: Free Fatty Acid; WCO: Waste Cooking Oil; FAME: Fatty Acid Methyl Ester