Biodiesel Production for C.I. Engine from Various Non- Edible Oils: A Review

Abstract: Energy is an essential input for economic growth, human welfare, social development and improving the quality of life. Since their exploration, the fossil fuels continued as the major conventional energy source. With increasing trend of modernization and industrialization, the world energy demand is also growing at a faster rate. Apart from their indigenous production, majority of developing countries import crude oil to cope up with their increasing energy demand. Thus, a major chunk of their hard earned export earning is spent for purchase of petroleum products. India is also a net energy importer and almost 82 of the country’s export earnings are directly spent for purchase of petroleum products. There had been sharp increase in the consumption pattern of petroleum products in India. The transport and agriculture sectors are the major users of the conventional liquid fuels. Biodiesel has become an alternative fuel because of its environmental benefits and it is obtained from renewable resources. There are four primary methods to make biodiesel: blending, pyrolysis, microemulsion and transesterification. The most commonly used method is the transesterification of triglycerides with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. There is a growing interest in using non-edible oils as the feedstock for biodiesel production because it does not compromise the edible oils, which are mainly used for food consumption. Non-edible oils are not suitable for human consumption because of the presence of toxic components