Extraction of biodiesel from feather meal and its characterization and performance test on diesel engine

Due to gradual depletion of the world petroleum reserves and harmful effect of exhaust gases from petroleum diesel, an alternative and renewable source of energy is urgently needed. Under the consideration of energy crisis, this research layout an optimistic process for developing biodiesel from commercial low cost feedstock chicken fat which has good environmental property. Transesterification reaction was conducted to get the biodiesel from feather meal (composition of innards, blood and processed feather). Chemically it is known as “Fatty Acid Methyl Ester” (FAME). Extraction of fat was done by boiling the mixture of water and raw material under 60-70 °C for 30min continuous stirring. Then conversion of fat to biodiesel was conducted by pretreatment and transesterification reaction. This transesterification between methanol and chicken fat was conducted using potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a base catalyst. The variables affecting the yield of biodiesel during transesterification, such molar ratio of methanol to fat, reaction time, reaction temperature and amount of catalyst were investigated. The transesterification was carried out at optimistic condition with 1% (by wt.) catalyst, the molar ratio of methanol to fat was 9:1 molar and reaction time was 1 hour 10 minute at 65-70 °C. The maximum yield of biodiesel after transesterification and purification was achieved 5.1% of its initial weight in this process. The fuel properties namely calorific value, density, viscosity, pour point, flash point, fire points are found nearer to the value of diesel fuel. The engine performance was calculated with 15% (B15) and 20% (B20) blending with diesel. For B15, maximum brake thermal efficiency is 16.45% at constant load and 13.36 % at constant speed. For B20, maximum brake thermal efficiency is 16.02% at constant load and 12.87% at constant speed.