MICROWAVE TRANSESTERIFICATION OF SOXHLET EXTRACTED JATROPHA CURCUS & KARANJA OILS AND ITS ANALYSIS

A number of methods for biodiesel fuel production have been industrialized, among which transesterificationgives high levels of conversion of triglycerides to their corresponding methyl esters using alcohol and alkali-catalysis in lesser reaction times. This process has therefore been widely utilized for biodiesel fuel production in a number of countries. In this research work the oils from Jatropha Curcus and Karanja seeds where extracted by Soxhlet extraction process. These oils were converted into their respective methyl esters (known as biodiesel) via microwave transesterification. The reaction in the presence of catalyst (NaOH) was carried out to study the optimum conditions and to detect the effects of reaction variables like alcohol (methanol) to oil molar ratios, catalyst concentrations, reaction temperatures and reaction times. The physiochemical properties of oils and derived biodiesels were studied and compared with the values of conventional diesel.