Thermochemical characterization of Nigerian Jatropha curcas fruit and seed residues for biofuel production

This study investigates the thermochemical properties of the separate components of jatropha biomass residues of Nigerian origin towards bio-oil production. The biomass residues (Jatropha curcas fruit shells and seed coat) were obtained from their mature jatropha fruits and subjected to physico-chemical characterization (structural composition analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, proximate and ultimate analyses). The structural compositions (extractives, hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin contents) of jatropha fruit shell and jatropha seed coat were 3%, 34.0%, 40.0% and 12.7%, and 42.3%, 32.5%, 10.5% and 5.7%, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the ash contents of jatropha seed coat and jatropha fruit shell were 0.8% and 15.4%, respectively. The carbon contents were 48.3% and 41.5%, while measured calorific values were 20.06 MJ/kg and 17.14 MJ/kg for jatropha seed coat and fruit shell, respectively. The carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur contents were found comparable with those in the literature. This study indicated that the thermochemical properties of the Nigerian Jatropha fruit and seeds residues were comparable with literature values and residues were found suitable for bio-oil production