Transesterification of Pumpkin Oil Using Nano Calcium Oxide Catalyst

Abstract

Due to the increase in population and economic growth of the nation, particularly in growing countries like India, has resulted in huge demand of energy sources. Due to reduction of non-renewable petroleum sources and recent hike in petroleum prices and lack of availability of petroleum products have generated interest in extraction of energy from renewable energy sources wherein the biodiesel plays an important role which is derived from plant origin for diesel engines. In this study crude Pumpkin seed oil was used as a feedstock for biodiesel production by Nano-CaO catalyzed methanolysis. The produced biodiesel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The fuel properties of pumpkin biodiesel such as viscosity, density, flashpoint, ash content, carbon residue, pour point and calorific value were investigated according to ASTM standards. The biodiesel-diesel blends (B10, B20, B30, B40 and B50) were prepared and fuel properties (viscosity, density and flash point) also investigated.