Abstract:
Jatropha cake is a promising renewable source of energy, its use as a combustible fuel makes it an important source of potentially harmful gases to the environment and the health of the users. It is important to determine the level of pollution caused by the Jatropha cake bio-pellet so as to take the necessary precautions to prevent the dangers that may be associated with the use of the fuel. Oiled and de-oiled Jatropha cake samples were burnt in a furnace to determine the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) produced during combustion. The effect of combustion temperature on the production of these gases was also investigated. NOx and SO2 were collected in a mixture of aqueous ammonia and hydrogen peroxide and quantified as nitrates and sulphates. The amount of ash produced during combustion was determined at the temperature of 5000C. The experiment also aimed at determining the alkaline metals contained in the ash. The results showed that the production of NOx and SO2 increased with increasing temperature with the highest amount of NOx at 12000C and that of SO2 at 8000C. The metal content in the ash was found to be 10.9, 2.0, 9.0 and 1.1% of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium respectively.
