The purpose of this research project is twofold. Firstly to establish whether South African biodiesel producers can profitably manufacture biodiesel on a commercial scale. Secondly to understand the readiness of owners of passenger vehicles to use biodiesel. Buyers pass through six stages before purchasing a new product, namely awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction, and finally purchase. Based on the literature review, five research questions were developed to understand the capability of producers to commercially manufacture biodiesel. In this qualitative research section a series of face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the current major players in the biodiesel industry. The data from each of these interviews was analysed to assess the producers’ capability to commercially manufacture biodiesel. Six research hypotheses were developed to understand the readiness of buyers to use biodiesel. In this quantitative research section a Likert scale questionnaire was presented in person to respondents at petroleum fuel stations. The data from each questionnaire was analysed to assess the buyer-readiness of passenger vehicle owners. An investigation revealed that there is currently only one producer commercially manufacturing biodiesel. South African producers have the capability to manufacture biodiesel on a commercial scale however sustainable feedstock supply is concerning. The producers claim that they can manufacture biodiesel to quality standards. No facility in South Africa can however test the full spectrum of the SANS 1935 quality standard. The industry requires additional encouragement and support from the South African government. Vehicle owners are at a Conviction buyer-readiness stage. Only 2.8% of the consumers have used biodiesel before. This is probably due to the commercial unavailability of biodiesel fuels. It is further identified that different age groups are at the same buyer-readiness stage. Marketers and sellers should however know that vehicle owners agree that biodiesel is better for their vehicle engines than petroleum diesel. Sellers should be sensitive to the fact that consumers are not prepared to pay a higher price for biodiesel than for petroleum diesel. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This study analyzes the sustainability of various energy sources including micro hydro power and biodiesel in the context of Nepal. The main focus is on the development of biodiesel fuels from non-edible oil resources including waste cooking oil, jatropha and soapnut oil feedstocks grown on the marginal lands of Nepal. Biodiesel fuel samples were prepared by acid and/or base catalyst transesterification. Both single stage and dual stage transesterification processes were employed depending on the free fatty acid content of the oil feedstock. The oil to biodiesel conversion rate and total yield were monitored. The quality of the biodiesel fuels including viscosity etc was confirmed by an external laboratory and all fuels met the ASTM fuel quality requirements. Canola, jatropha and soapnut biodiesel fuels were tested to determine some atomization properties - density, surface tension and viscosity - at elevated temperatures and pressures. The density of three biodiesel fuels and diesel were determined up to 523 K and 7 MPa using a capacitance type densitometer. The results showed a linear relationship with temperature and pressure over the measured range. The experimental data were well within the range of canola and other biodiesel fuels found in the literature. Kay’s mixing rule was used to predict the density of some biodiesel blends and the results were found to be in agreement with less than 5% error with the measured data. The surface tension was measured using a pendant drop apparatus for all three biodiesel and diesel fuels for temperatures and pressures up to 473K and 7 MPa. Results showed a linear relationship with temperature as well as with pressure. Temperature has a higher effect on surface tension than pressure. The viscosity of all three biodiesel and diesel fuels were measured using a torsional vibration viscometer up to 523 K and 7 MPa. Results showed that the viscosity-temperature relationship of all three biodiesel fuels tested followed a modified Andrade equation which was also applicable when temperature and pressure were both applied simultaneously. The measured and regressed kinematic and dynamic viscosities obtained were comparable with values in the literature. / This thesis is focused on sustainability analysis of alternative fuels in Nepal and presents the resullts of the tests on fuel and atomization characterisation of different biodiesel feedstocks including canola, jatropha, soapnut and waste cooking oil. A new model to evaluate sustainability of renewable alternatives energy resources has been developed and tested.

This research studies variations in biodiesel upon addition of different concentrations of antioxidant and petrodiesel additives. Oxidation onset temperature, oxidation induction time, oxidative stability, thermal stability, crystallization onset temperature and moisture retention properties of the biodiesel, with and without antioxidants have been studied. Antioxidants like BHT, BHA, PrG, Vit E and Vit C were added to the biodiesel during the study. These samples were analyzed using the PDSC, TGA, DSC and TGA-SA instrumentation. The results of this research show an improvement in the OOT, OIT and Oxidative stability of biodiesel with the addition of antioxidants and by blending the biodiesel with different amounts of Petro-diesel. A significant improvement in oxidative stability of biodiesel has been observed with the addition of antioxidants and petrodiesel. There was no significant change noticed in the thermal stability, crystallization and the moisture retention properties of biodiesel. I hope that this research would help improving the oxidative stability of the biodiesel. The results from the analysis made in this study would also be helpful in designing a better antioxidant and aid in improving the present experimental methods for the OIT and thermal analysis.

In order to produce alternative fuels derived from renewable resources (biomass) and environmentally friendly, it was investigated in this work the catalytic activity of three metal complexes showing Lewis acid character: Butyltin chloride dihydroxide (BCDH-Sn), Butyltintrichloride (BTC-Sn) and dibutyltin dichloride (DBDC-Sn).These complexes were tested for catalytic soybean oil methanolysis and esterification of oleic acid in order to obtain a mixture of Fatty Acid Alkyl-Esters, when it is used as a fuel known as biodiesel. In methanolysis experiments, the reactions were performed in a glass reactor equipped with a reflux condenser or a closed reactor. The reactions were performed at temperatures ranging from 80 ° C, 120 ° C and 150 ° C, and the reaction time ranged from 15 minutes to 10 hours. The reaction products, obtained by transesterification, were analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). In case of esterification of the oleic acid, was subjected to the same conditions of methanolysis using only the closed reactor. In this case, monoester analysis content was determined by acid-base titration. For characterization of catalysts, spectroscopic techniques were used in infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance. To determine reaction mechanism (trans) esterification, a set of reactions were made with subsequent NMR study 1H and 119Sn. In transesterification, the sequence in terms of catalytic efficiency was: BTC-Sn>BCDHSn>DBDC-Sn. In the esterification, the sequence was: BTC- Sn> DBDC -Sn>BCDHSn. These reactive differences were attributed to factors such as steric hindrance, catalyst solubility in reaction environment, interactions between the catalyst and substrate reaction and the acid strength of the catalysts. RMN's results of 1H and 119Sn indicated that the reactions of transesterification and esterification using three organometallic complexes of tin occur through Lewis´s acid-base mechanism. / No intuito de produzir combustíveis alternativos oriundos de recursos renováveis (biomassa) e ambientalmente corretos, foi investigada neste trabalho a atividade catalítica de três complexos organometálicos exibindo caráter ácido de Lewis: n-butilclorodihidróxiestanho (BCDH-Sn), nbutiltricloroestanho (BTC-Sn) e di n-butildicloroestanho (DBDC-Sn). Esses complexos foram testados na metanólise do óleo de soja e na esterificação do ácido oléico visando obtenção de uma mistura de ésteres alquílicos de ácidos graxos (biodiesel). Nos experimentos de metanólise, as reações foram realizadas em um reator de vidro acoplado a um condensador de refluxo ou num reator fechado. As reações foram realizadas em temperaturas de 80 °C, 120 ºC e 150 °C, e o tempo reacional variou de 15 min a 10 h. Os produtos reacionais, obtidos por transesterificação, foram analisados por cromatografia gasosa com detector de ionização de chama (CG-FID). No caso da esterificação do ácido oléico, foram empregadas as mesmas condições da metanólise empregando apenas reator fechado. Nesse caso, a análise do teor de monoéster foi determinada por titulação ácido-base. Para caracterização dos complexos, foram usadas técnicas de espectroscopia no infravermelho e ressonância magnética nuclear de hidrogênio. A fim de estabelecer o mecanismo reacional de transesterificação e esterificação, foi realizado um conjunto de reações com acompanhamento por espectroscopia de RMN de 1H e 119Sn. Na transesterificação, a seqüência em termos de eficiência catalítica foi: BTC-Sn>BCDH-Sn>DBDC-Sn. Já na esterificação, a seqüência foi: BTC-Sn>DBDC-Sn>BCDH-Sn. Essas diferenças reacionais foram atribuídas a fatores como impedimento estéreo, solubilidade do catalisador no meio reacional, interações entre o catalisador e o substrato na reação e força ácida dos catalisadores. Resultados de RMN´s de 1H e 119Sn indicaram que as reações de transesterificação e esterificação usando os 3 complexos organometálicos de estanho ocorrem através de mecanismo ácido-base de Lewis.