Tezislər / Theses

Supervisor: Amir Reza Vakhshouri 
Key words: 
Biodiesel, transesterification, zeolite, clinoptilolite, heterogeneous basic 
catalyst 
 
Biodiesel is a renewable displacement fuel produced from vegetable oil, 
restaurant greases, animal fat (in liquid form), or recycled cooking oil. As an 
alternative energy source, it is widely used in diesel engines. The main 
purpose of this research is to produce biodiesel from cooking oil with the 
presence of homogenous and heterogeneous catalysts and to compare their 
effect on the final product. Firstly, there are some key advantages of utilizing 
biodiesel instead of petro-diesel such as: 

its ability to improve the lubricating properties of petro-diesel when slightly 
added 

the economic viability of its large-scale production compared to 
conventional fuels

greater safety ensured in storage and transportation caused by higher 
flashing temperature for biodiesel (130
0
C) in comparison with petroleum 
diesel (52
0
C) (Energy).
The principal reason that makes biodiesel one step ahead of conventional 
energy sources for internal combustion engines is its environmental friendliness. 
In terms of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, the amount of 
unburned hydrocarbons, particularly carbon monoxide, is substantially reduced 
up to 75% cleaner than petro-diesel made from fossil fuels (Biodiesel, 2014). 
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, utilization of B100 fuels (pure 
biodiesel) can cut carbon monoxide emissions and the matter which produces 
smog almost in half. Moreover, biodiesel usage can lessen emissions of 
hydrocarbon by from 75 up to 90 percent. Furthermore, the industrial 
operations to produce biodiesel are cleaner than that for conventional diesel, 
therefore emissions associated with the life cycle of the fuel are reduced by 
more than 80%. 
Transesterification is one of the biodiesel production processes that are 
widely used. Organically derived oils mentioned above enter the reaction with 
alcohol (commonly methanol) and are further chemically processed to 

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