Journal of Engineering Research and Studies E-ISSN 0976-7916

Research Article
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF BIODIESEL FOR
DOMESTIC USE
Ademola A. Dare1* , Adetokunbo Simon Callender2, Adebambo Joseph Badejo2

Address for Correspondence

*1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering Lagos State University , Lagos, Nigeria
Email: *ademola_dare@yahoo.com, *ademola.dare@mail.ui.edu.ng
ABSTRACT
There is continued growing demand for alternative energy resources worldwide. One of the emerging
energy alternatives being explored is Biodiesel. Biodiesel has been produced from varieties of plant and
animal resources. However most of its targets have been for use as fuel for engines with little
consideration for domestic purposes This work has examined the use of biodiesel for domestic use such as
cooking. Three grades of biodiesel were produced by mixing ethanol with either vegetable oil, diesel or
kerosine. The fuel was then tested with a constructed cooking stove. Biodiesel with diesel blend was found
not suitable for use in domestic cooking while the blends with either vegetable oil or kerosene were
suitable. However only the kerosene blend gave satisfactory performance for both pressure stove and wool
stove. Pressure stove had better performance than wool stove for the kerosene blend. The work thus
established that a blend of kerosene with ethanol can be used for domestic cooking without incurring any
hazards. Equally it is established that biodiesel will perform creditably better with a pressure stove.
KEYWORDS Energy resources, Renewable, Biodiesel, domestic use
INTRODUCTION from plant oils combined with alcohol to
The continual search for alternative energy form esters. The esters can be burned as a
resource has been on the increase. One of fuel. In addition to vegetable oils from
the now considered viable alternatives is soybeans, rapeseed, or palm oil, biodiesel
Biodiesel. At present Biodiesel is an can also be made from used cooking oil,
alternative fuel for diesel engines that is animal fats, or oils produced by certain types
gaining attention in the United States after of microalgae.(Encarta Premium 2009).
reaching a considerable level of success in Considerable efforts have been made to
Europe (see Figs. 1 and 2). Its primary produce biodiesel from many plant sources
advantages are that it is one of the most (see Fig. 3). The use of Jatropha curcas
renewable fuels currently available and it is was considered by Tomomatsu and
also non-toxic and biodegradable (Gerpen et Swallow(2007). The study largely rules out
al, 2004). Research on biodiesel has focused jatropha as a plantation type of crop under
on three main areas namely: production current economic conditions, the
source, production techniques and opportunity for smallholder farmers in
productions costs. These three are being valuechain development were discussed.
pursued in making biodiesel a viable The use of High Iodine Number Candlenut
alternative to existing/ upcoming energy Oil in Biodiesel production was reported by
sources. It is envisaged that by 2030 the Sulistyo et. al.(2008). The biodiesel obtained
production cost would have been reasonably had properties similar to those of diesel oil,
low (see Fig 3). Biodiesel is typically made except for the viscosity that was higher.

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 Journal of Engineering Research and Studies E-ISSN 0976-7916

Fig.1 EU and Member State Biodiesel Production ( in metric tones)

Source : European Biodiesel Board , 2009 * Total EU27 biodiesel production for 2008 was over 7.7 million metric
tonnes, an increase of 35.7% from the 2007 figures.

Fig. 2: Biodiesel Production: Europe and other Nations.

Source: IEA Energy Technology Essential- Biofuel Production, ETR 02 2007

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Fig. 3: Current and Projected Cost of Biofuel compared with Conventional Wholesale
Gasoline
Source IEA Energy Technology Essential- Biofuel Production ETR 02, 2007
With increased attention being paid to its
production, improved production processes
were being investigated. Gerpen(2010)
emphasis on the need for proper production
process as this affects the quality and
suitablility for use as fuel for engine. Dhar
and Khitania(2009) suggested techniques for
recovering excess methanol in biodiesel
production. The production of biodiesel
from low cost raw materials received lot of
attention. Abiney et. al. (2008) investigated
the use of tin(II) chloride dehydrate as a
catalyst on the ethanolysis of oleic acid,
which is the major component of several fat
and vegetable oils feedstocks. Tin chloride
efficiently promoted the conversion of oleic
acid into ethyl oleate in ethanol solution and
in soybean oil samples, under mild reaction
conditions. The SnCl2 catalyst was shown to
be as active as the mineral acid H2SO4. Its
use has relevant advantages in comparison
to mineral acids catalysts, such as less
corrosion of the reactors and as well as
avoiding the unnecessary neutralization of
products. Kapilakarn and Peugtong (2007)
in their study found that the optimal
condition that minimizes the operating cost
for biodiesel is the ratio of methanol to oil at
6:1 (or 0.238:1 by wt.), the reaction
temperature at 70C, and the reaction time
of 20 minutes. In addition, for the same
production rate, the process with double size
of the reactor improves the product purity
(from 96.62 % to 98.21 %). For the number
of reactors, it is found that two half-size
reactors give better product purity and
operating cost than the single reactor with
the equivalent size. It should however be
noted that efforts so far has largely been
geared towards production of biodiesel for
engine use. This has therefore necessitated
this present work which is aimed at

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assessing the performance of different
grades of biodiesel for domestic use. The
performance of biodiesel when in use for
stove was carried out as this may further
assist in reducing energy burdens in the rural
communities.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A cooking stove was first constructed.
Thereafter different grades of biodiesel were
prepared. Various tests such as Flamability
Test, Combustibility Test, Wool Stove Test,
Pressure Stove Test, Environmental Test
Miscibility Test, Mechanical Test, and
Lubricity Test were then carried out The
cooking stove was tested with biodiesel
when operating normally and when
pressurised.
APPARATUS USED IN PRODUCTION
A cooking stove or a gas burner.
1 funnel.
3 plastic bottles.
A thermometer.
NaoH (caustic soda).
Ethanol.
Pure vegetable oil.
Mixing bowl.
Stirrer.
Chemical balance scale.
Kerosene.
Diesel.
Spatula.
4x (250ml) beakers.
2 conical flasks.
DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENT
Three different grades of biodiesel mixtures
were made. Biodiesel grade A consists of a
mixture of ethanol and vegetable oil.
Biodiesel grade B consists of a mixture of
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ethanol and diesel while Biodiesel grade C
consists of a mixture of ethanol and
kerosine. The methods of preparation of
each grade are presented below
METHOD OF PREPARATION OF
BIODIESEL GRADE A
All apparatus was clean, washed and dried
200ml of pure vegetable oil was
measured into a beaker and placed in a
pot containing water . The oil in the
beaker was heated to a temperature of
about 55C, using a burner or a gas
stove.
1000ml of pure ethanol was measured
and poured into a stirring bowl.
3.5g of NaOH (Caustic soda) was added
to ethanol and stir continuously until
the CAUSTIC SODA crystals dissolve
completely inside the ethanol.
After reaching the desired temperature
the hot vegetable oil was poured into a
stirring bowl and stir continuously. The
stirring was continued for about 30 min,
until the mixture becomes lighter than
the original oil.
The mixture was subsequently left to
settle for 24hrs in a tall vessel. By then
the biodiesel floated to the top and a
whitish precipitate of glycerine is
formed at the bottom was filtered out as
by product which can be used for
production of quality soap
METHOD OF PREPARING BIODIESEL
GRADE B AND GRADE C
The same procedure for production of grade
A was adopted. However the ratio of ethanol
to diesel was 2:1(grade B) and ethanol to
kerosine was also 2:1(grade C).
 Journal of Engineering Research and Studies E-ISSN 0976-7916

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
(a) Effect and Observation of Biodiesel
Grades on Pressurised Cooking
Stove.
Biodiesel grade A
When Biodiesel grade A was poured inside
the tank of the pressurised stove and
pumped at a pressure of
2.5kg/cm(35pounds /sq in), the air inside
the tank diffuses partially inside the
biodiesel and due to the effect of pressure it
flows through its stem and up to the hole in
the burner nipple. When the biodiesel is
ignited on the spirit cup, the flame rises and
heats up the remaining biodiesel coming
from the burner nipple. The heating effect
then produces a flame. After some minutes
of burning; the flame extinguishes itself due
to the formation of saturated oil which is
produced at the hole of the burner nipple.
Biodiesel grade B
For this grade, the combustion was very
excessive and could not be used for the
cooking stove. However this grade made can
be used on diesel engines and generators.
Biodiesel grade C
When biodiesel grade C is poured inside the
tank of the pressurised stove and pumped at
a pressure of 2.5kg/cm(35 pounds /Sq
in),the air inside the tank diffuses partially
inside the biodiesel and due to the effect of
pressure it flows through the stem and up to
the hole in the burner nipple. When the
biodiesel is ignited in the spirit cup, the
flame rises and heats up the remaining
biodiesel coming from the burner nipple.
The heating effect then produces a flame.
After some minutes the flame rises from the
hole of the burner nipple and it is sustained
due to the exerted pressure already in the
tank. A summary of the observation is
presented in Table 1.
(b) Results of Test on Biodiesel
The results of tests carried out on the three
grades of biodiesel produced are
summarised in Table 2

Table 1: Comparison of the Grades of Biodiesel on Stoves

Grades Effect On Pressure Stove Effect On Wool Stove
A Poor Not Suitable. Fair Performance.
B Not Usable. Not Usable.
C Can Be Used. Can Be Used.

Table 2: Tests on Various Grades of Biodiesel

Property Flammability Volatility Colour Viscosity Colour of

of Liquid ppt after
Burning.
Grades
A Partially flammable Not volatile Light Yellow Highly viscous Light brown
B Extremely Volatile Dark brown Partially Black
Flammable viscous
C Highly Volatile Off White Partially Dark White
Flammable Viscous

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COMPARISON BURN TIME OF
PRESSURE STOVE AND WOOL ON
STOVE
Since the kerosene blend biodiesel was
found most suitable for use, the performance
of the biodiesel for both pressure stove and
wool on stove was compared. This was
carried out by comparing the time taken for
each stove to evaporate completely 25cl of
water using the biodiesel as against the time
taken using kerosene. The efficiency is thus
calculated as below.
Efficiency of Pressure Stove=
= Burn time of 25cl biodiesel used/Burn
time of 25cl kerosene used
= (45mins/75mins) = 0.60 = 60%
Efficiency of Wool Stove =
=Burn time of 25cl biodiesel used/ Burn
time of 25cl kerosene used
= (48 mins/75mins) = 0.64 = 64%
The pressure stove thus gave better
performance than the wool stove using
kerosene blend biodiesel.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
This study has established the viability of
biodiesel for domestic use. The analysis
showed that a biodiesel formed from a blend
of ethanol and kerosene performed
excellently well for both pressure stove and
wool stove and is thus recommended for
use. Equally since wool stove gave better
performance, it is thus recommended that
the biodiesel be used with wool stove.
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Silva(2008). Esterification of Oleic
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10.3390/en1020079
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E-ISSN 0976-7916
Bipro Ranjan Dhar, Kawnish Kirtania
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