Utilization of high FFA landfill waste (leachates) as a feedstock for sustainable biodiesel production: its characterization and engine performance evaluation

Abstract

In present study, biodiesel was produced from landfill waste-derived oil by chemical transesterification process, to evaluate its potential as a renewable energy source for the first time. The free fatty acid percentage (FFA) in landfill waste oil is considered to be high, which was reduced by treating it with two different acids as catalyst, muriatic acid and phosphoric acid, in order to build a comparison between fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) contents. Further, it was treated with a base catalyst potassium hydroxide (KOH) to produce the final product. The FAME value of landfill oil when treated with muriatic acid was found to be 92.59%. The quality of biodiesel produced was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), which indicated above 25.7% of conversion of oil into biodiesel when muriatic acid was used as a catalyst. The properties of the produced biodiesel were found to be in good agreement with ASTM D 6751 and EN 14214 standards. Various test fuels were prepared for the engine test by blending 10%, 20%, and 100% of landfill waste biodiesel in diesel on volumetric basis and designated as B10, B20, and B100, respectively. The brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of the engine was more while the exhaust emission was less except NOx with biodiesel and its blend (B10 and B20). Thus, landfill waste is a potential source of biodiesel, and blends of landfill waste up to 20% can be used for realizing better performance from the engine.