Abstract
Keywords:
Biodiesel, Alternative fuel, Triglycerides
Abstract
Biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters), which is derived from triglycerides by transesterification of vegetable oils with alcohol, has attracted considerable attention as a renewable, biodegradable and nontoxic fuel. Several processes for biodiesel fuel production have been developed, among which transesterification using alkali-catalysis gives high levels of conversion of triglycerides to their corresponding methyl esters etethyl esters in short reaction times. This process has therefore been widely utilized for biodiesel fuel production in a number of countries.