Effect Of Process Variables On Biodiesel Production Via Transesterification Of Quassia Undulata Seed Oil Using Homogeneous Catalyst

Abstract This paper studied the extraction of oil from Quassia undulata plant using n-hexane as solvent. The biodiesel produced was characterized using spectroscopic methods. Important parameters of biodiesel such as methyl ester content viscosity specific gravity acid value flash point and cetane number were determined. The influence of reactions variables such as methanol to oil molar ratio reaction temperatures and reaction times on conversion of Quassia oil was also measured. The results showed that the maximum conversion of 98.6 was recorded at 60 oC when the methanol to oil molar ratio was 91 at time 2 hours 30 minutes using fixed catalyst amount of 2.5 wt based on the wt. of the oil.