Clean Energy for Sustainable Development

Chapter Thirteen

Biodiesel From Queensland Bush Nut (Macadamia integrifolia)

A.K. Azad, M.G. Rasul, M.M.K. Khan, and S.C. Sharma     Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia

Abstract

Macadamia, an oil-enriched Queensland bush nut, is one of the Australian native species. In this study, crude vegetable oil was extracted from Macadamia nuts by the n-hexane (98%) method and converted to biodiesel by a transesterification reaction. The reaction utilized potassium methoxide as a catalyst with a reaction temperature of 60°C for 60 min. The physiochemical fuel properties of the crude vegetable oil and converted biodiesel were tested under the ASTM and EN standards and compared with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). The fatty acid methyl ...