BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM RUBBER SEEDS {Hevea Brasiliensis) BY IN-SITU TRANSESTERIFICATION METHOD

Biodiesel is mono-alkyl esters ofvegetable oils (both edible and non-edible) oranimal
fats. There are two basic methods in which biodiesel can be produced. Firstly, by
means of transesterifying oil or fat with an alcohol assisted with an acid or alkali
catalyst. Secondly, it can be produced through in-situ transesterification method
where the raw material (seeds) can be made to react directly with an alcohol in the
present of catalyst. The environmentally friendly nature of biodiesel has made it an
attractive alternative that can beused as a renewable fuel in the existing engines. The
main objective for this thesis is the production of biodiesel by in-situ
transesterification (direct transesterification) method from the seed of rubber tree
using KOH as a catalyst. The influence of reaction time, seed sizes, reaction
temperature, seed to methanol mass ratio, and seed to catalyst mass ratio on the
FAME yield was investigated.