Biodiesel production from baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seed kernel oil and its fuel properties

This paper reports on the production of biodiesel from baobab (Adansonia digitata L) seed kernel oil, its fuel properties are evaluated which its finding are limited. The transesterification of baobab oil was carried out using sodium methoxide as a homogeneous catalyst. One factor at a time experimental design was used to study the effect of temperature (30-70 degrees C), time (0.5-2.5 h), catalyst to oil ratio (0.7-3.5 wt.%) and methanol to oil ratio (10-50 wt.%) on the transesterification of baobab oil. Optimum biodiesel production conditions were as follows: reaction temperature (60 degrees C), reaction time (1 h), catalyst to oil ratio (1.4 wt.%) and methanol to oil ratio (30 wt.%). An optimum biodiesel yield of 96 wt.% was obtained. Important fuel properties such kinematic viscosity, density, flash point, pour point, cloud point, oxidation stability and cetane number were measured and compared to the biodiesel properties in the European and American biodiesel standards (EN and ASTM standard). Results show that important fuel properties of biodiesel from baobab oil met both EN and ASTM standard. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.