Production Of Biodiesel From Southern DRC (Bunyakiri) Palm Nut Kernels Oil.

In order to lead against greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which consisted of limiting global warming to 1.5◦ C, several long-term targets were set during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) including the development of green technologies and the use of low-carbon sources (non-edible vegetable oil) to replace petroleum-based fuels. Biodiesel synthesis from palm kernel oil in the presence of methanol and potash (KOH) as catalysts was investigated as an effective response to gas emissions from fossil sources. The oil was extracted from palm kernels using a volatile Soxhlet solvent (C4H10O). The oil was extracted from palm kernels using a volatile soxhlet solvent(C4H10O). The obtained results show yields of 50.24% and 75.2% for the extraction of oil and biodiesel, respectively. The investigated physicochemical properties of the extracted oil indicated a density of 0.907 g.cm-3 and an acid number of 1.84 mg.KOH.g-1 , a saponification number of 247 mg.KOH.g-1 , an iodine number of 18 g I /100g, and a viscosity of 8.475 mm².s-1 . The obtained biodiesel showed densities of 0.875(20°C), 0,864 (40°C) g.cm-3 , a calorific value of 40.18 MJ.K-1g -1 , average cetane index of 51.4 and an iodine index of 116, 67. These values conformed to the standard limits of ASTM D6751 and EN14214.