International Journal of Chemistry Studies

Authors
F T Cotterell, C Obi, V O Mgboh

Abstract
This study evaluates the effect of sonication on biodiesel produced by transesterification of methanol and waste Kings vegetable oil in the presence of a heterogeneous clay catalyst. The fuel properties of biodiesel produced were evaluated according to standard methods. The results revealed that the value of the flash point for the sonicated biodiesel at 10 min (128.40℃) was found to be slightly lower than ASTMD-6751 standard (130.00℃) while sonicated at 30 min (146.10℃) and unsonicated (153.80℃) were higher than the petro-diesel value (54.00℃). The fire point value was high in the biodiesel without sonication and at 30 min but lowest at 10 min. Viscosity values (2.67 mm2/sec, 1.58 mm2/sec and 1.59 mm2/sec) showed that the biodiesel was in accordance with the ASTM standard (1.90-6.00 mm2/sec). The result also revealed that the cetane number for biodiesel without sonication (45.89) and at 30 min (48.60) was in accordance with the ASTM standard while at 10 min (51.00) was higher than the ASTM standard but within the petro-diesel value. The calorific value without sonication (23.20 MJ/kg) and with sonication (28.40 MJ/kg and 31.80 MJ/kg) revealed that the biodiesel produced posses’ high power efficiency. The cloud point values (12.00°C, 8.00°C and 9.00°C respectively) were within the acceptable ASTM standard. The density values of the biodiesel without sonication and sonicated (0.94 g/cm3, 0.84 g/cm3 and 0.80 g/cm3 respectively) fell within the acceptable ASTMD-6751 standard. These results show that biodiesel from waste Kings vegetable oil when sonicated could serve as an alternative to fossil fuels.