Biodiesel Quality Norms
Jatropha biodiesel conforms to European quality norms
Jatropha oil is more or less similar to rape seed oil in its fatty acid composition and is hence well suited for conversion into biodiesel by conventional, proven processes. The slightly higher concentration of unsaturated fatty acids in Jatropha oil compared with rapeseed oil means that special care must be taken to ensure sufficient oxidation stability for Jatropha biodiesel. The following table shows that Jatropha biodiesel conforms to or exceeds the properties specified in European standard EN 14214.
Properties of jatropha oil methyl ester (biodiesel) compared to European standards
| Property | Method | Unit | Jatropha biodiesel | EN 14214 standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | clear, brown | |||
| Density @ 15°C | ISO 3675 | kg/m3 | 884.2 | 860-900 |
| Solid contamination | mg/kg | 2 | < 24 | |
| Neutralisation number | DIN 51 558-1 | mg KOH/g | 0.11 | < 0.5 |
| Copper corrosion | EN ISO 2160 | grade | 1 | 1 |
| Oxidation stability | prEN 14112 | Hour | 6.7 | > 6 |
| Viscosity at 40°C | ISO 3104 | Mm2/s | 4.4 | 3.5-5.0 |
| Iodine number | DIN 53241-1- | gJ2/100g | 93 | < 120 |
| Ash | ISO 3987 | g/100 g | < 0.01 | < 0.02 |
| Water content | EN ISO 12937 | mg/kg | < 500 | < 500 |
| Flash point | DIN EN 22719 | °C | 172 | >101 |
| Cetane number | - | 58,5 | >51 | |
| Monoglyceride | EN 14 105 | g/100g | 0.01 | < 0.8 |
| Diglyceride | EN 14 105 | g/100g | 0.02 | < 0,2 |
| Triglyceride | EN 14 105 | g/100g | < 0.02 | < 0.2 |
| Free glycerine | EN 14 105 | g/100g | < 0.02 | < 0.2 |
| Total glycerine | EN 14 105 | g/100g | 0.03 | < 0.25 |
| Methanol | prEN 14110 | g/100g | < 0.02 | < 0.2 |
| Ester content | prEN 14103 | g/100g | 98.9 | Not specified |
| Sodium | mg/kg | < 0.5 | < 0.5 | |
| Potassium | mg/kg | < 0.5 | Na+ Ka | |
| Phosphorus | mg/kg | < 1 | < 10 | |
| Higher calorific value | MJ/kg | 41.3 | Not specified | |
| Lower calorific value | MJ/kg | 38.9 | Not specified | |
| Oxygen content | % | 11.2 | Not specified |
Data taken from Mandpe et al., 2005 (Mandpe, S., Kadlaskar, S., Degen, W. and Keppeler, S., 2005. On road Testing of Advanced Common Rail Diesel Vehicles with Biodiesel from the Jatropha Curcas plants, Paper No. 2005 – 26-356. Paper presented at International Mobility Engineering Congress and Expo 2005, 23-25 October 2005, Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam, Chennai organised by SAE India
The seed cake is used at the village level as a natural fertilizer. It releases nutrients slowly and has additional pesticidal properties.
