The effect of addition of fly ash on physical properties of transetererified calabash oil as source of biodiesel

Abstract

The change in climatic patterns, depletion of fossils fuels and environmental issues have led to the search of alternative energy sources. One of these renewable sources of energy is biodiesel. This work investigates the effects of the addition of fly ash on the physical properties of transesterified calabash oil. The physical and chemical properties of fly ash were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Xray fluoroscopy (XRF) characterizations. The crude calabash oil was purified, transeterified and fly ash were dispersed in the trans-esterified oil with concentration ranging from 0.1% to 0.4% in the interval of 0.1% Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR) was used to examine the structures of the samples were ester presence. SEM characterizations indicate the presence of dispersed particles with irregular shape on the nanoparticles. The pour point, fire point and the flash point of the samples were studied. It was found out among other things that small amount of fly ash (0.3%) in the oil could improve the physical properties of the fluid. The Nano fluid with 0.3% concentration of fly ash appears to have optimum physical property.