Alcoholysis of canola oil using a short-chain (C1–C3) alcohols

In this study, the conversion characteristics and fuel properties of biodiesel were investigated according to carbon numbers of the short-chain alcohols that were used as reactants in the biodiesel manufacturing process. As the carbon numbers of the short chain alcohols increased, the fatty acid alkyl ester content of biodiesel decreased, and the optimum reaction temperature and time increased. The optimal conditions for short-chain alcoholysis were as follows: methanolysis (55 °C, 60 min), ethanolysis (65 °C, 80 min), and propanolysis (85 °C, 100 min). Also, according to the fuel properties analysis of the manufactured biodiesel with increasing carbon numbers, the heating value increased to 39.6–41.1 MJ/kg, and oxidation stability improved with methanolysis (6.68 h), ethanolysis (7.03 h), and propanolysis (7.51 h). But the kinematic viscosity increased from 4.24 to 4.68 cSt with increasing carbon numbers of the short chain alcohols.