Community Development

Jatropha, a promising plant

Dr Ir Robert Manurung
Bio-Technology Research Center
Institut Teknologi Bandung

The

reality of change is inescapable. If we do

not change, the inexorable forces and shifts in
the external world will force change upon us.
Better to change before we are changed.
John Harvey-Jones

Trends Changes in the Real (Inflation Adjusted)

Prices of Selected Commodities Since 1950

Source : Fry (2002)

Jatropha plant data (1):

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Latin name: Jatropha curcas (Linnaeus)

Famili: Euphorbiaceae
Plant appearance: shrub/small tree, 3-5 m on height.
Habitat: tropic/sub tropic areas at America, Asia,
Africa
Suitable rainfall: 200 1500 mm/yr
Plant density: 1100-3300 plant/ha
Live up to 50 years
Varieties: Cape Verde, Nicaragua, Ife-Nigeria, nontoxic Mexico
Productivity 5-25 ton/ha/year
Can be harvested since plant is 5 months old,
productivity is stable after 1 years old

Exploitation of Jatropha:

Source : G.M. Giibitz, M. Mittelbach, M. Trabi (1998), Exploitation of

the tropical oil seed plant Jatropha curcas L.

Genetic modification
Genetic modification with gamma ray irradiation
conducted by BATAN, proofed to be able to alter the
productivity and maturity age.
Age (days)

Genotype

Flower

Fruit

Harvest

Control

93

120

157

J10-04

57

77

99

J15-04

72

103

132

J20-04

105

135

167

J25-04

Jatropha seed (2)

Proximate analysis (%) of Jatropha seed flour
Assay
Crude fat
Crude protein
Crude fibre
Moisture
Ash
Carbohydrate

Composition (%)
47.25 1.34
24.60 1.40
10.12 0.52
5.54 0.20
4.50 0.14
7.99

Source : E.T. Akintayo (2003), Characteristics and composition of

Parkia biglobbossa and Jatropha curcas oils and cakes

Jatropha seed (3)

Kernel
Dry matter (%)

94.2-96.9

Shell

Meal

89.8-90.4

100

Crude protein 22.2-27.2

4.3-4.5

56.4-63.8

Lipid 56.8-58.4

0.5-1.4

1.0-1.5

2.8-6.1

9.6-10.4

Neutral detergent 3.5-3.8

fiber

83.9-89.4

8.1-9.1

Acid detergent fiber 2.4-3.0

74.6-78.3

5.7-7.0

Acid detergent lignin 0.0-0.2

45.1-47.5

0.1-0.4

19.3-19.5

18.0-19.3

Constituents
(% in DM)

Ash 3.6-4.3

Gross energy 30.5-31.1

(MJ/kg)

Source : Trabi, M., 1998. Die Gifstoffe der PurgiernuB (Jatropha curcas L.) MSc thesis, Graz
University of Technology, Graz.

Jatropha vs Diesel Oil

Specification

Jatropha Oil

Diesel Oil

Specific gravity
(gr/mL)

0.9180

0.8410

Sulphur, wt%

0.13

1.2

Calorific value
(kcal/kg)

9470

10170

Flash point, oC

240

50

Cetane value

51

50

Source : J. B. KANDPAL and MIRA MADAN (1994), Jatropha curcus : a

renewable source of energy for meeting future energy needs

|Thus,

the task is, not so much to see

what no one has yet seen; but to think
what nobody has yet thought, about that
which everyone sees.
|
Erwin Schrodinger (1887 - 1961)

Jatropha seed oil (1)

|

Physico-chemical parameters

Parameter

Literature (Akintayo,
2003, dan Gbitz, 1999)

ITB-MIRI Assay (Mitsubishi

Heavy Industries, Ltd), Dec
2004

Density at 15oC (g/cm3)

Viscosity at 30oC (cSt)
Flash point (oC)
Sulphur content (ppm)
Iodine value (mg iodine/g) Wijs
Acid value (mg KOH/g)
Calorific value (MJ/kg)

0.920
17.1-52
240
Not measured
105.2 0.7
3.5 0.1
40.7

0.9181
50.80
290
<1
96.5
3.08
35.58

If you want to understand function, study

structure.
Francis H.C. Crick (1916-);
co-discoverer of the double helix structure of DNA

Jatropha vs Ricinus seed oil

Chemically, consists of triglyceride with linear fatty acid chain (unbranched)
with/without double bonds, as CPO
O
H2 C - O - C - (CH2 )16 - CH3
O

Jatropha seed oil

HC - O - C - (CH2 )7 CH=CH(CH2 )7 CH3

O
H2 C - O - C - (CH2 )7 CH=CHCH2 CH=CH(CH2 )4 CH3
OH
O
H2 C - O - C - (CH2 )7 - CH=CH-CH2 - CH - (CH2 )5 - CH3
OH
O
HC - O - C - (CH2 )7 - CH=CH-CH2 - CH - (CH2 )5 - CH3
OH
O
H2 C - O - C - (CH2 )7 - CH=CH-CH2 - CH - (CH2 )5 - CH3

Ricinus seed oil

Jatropha seed oil (2)

Fatty acid composition
Fatty acid
Miristic
Palmitic
Stearic
Arachidic
Behenic
Palmitoleic
Oleic
Linoleic
Linolenic

14:0
16:0
18:0
20:0
22:0
16:1
18:1
18:2
18:3

Jatropha

Palm

0 0.1
14.1 15.3
3.7 9.8
0 0.3
0 0.2
0 1.3
34.3 45.8
29.0 44.2
0 0.3

0.9 1.5
39.2 45.8
3.7 5.1
0 0.04
NA
0 0.4
37.4 44.1
8.7 12.5
0 0.6

Source : G.M. Giibitz, M. Mittelbach, M. Trabi (1998), Exploitation of the

tropical oil seed plant Jatropha curcas L.

Jatropha seed oil (3)

Suitable for palm-oil substitute on
non-food applications
| Highly potential as diesel oil
substitute, due to its higher flash point
and cetane number; has been proven
on 4-stroke Mitsubishi engine (Japan)
|

Jatropha as fuel (1)

Technology development :
Handling
(1) Raw Jatropha
Oil without
Esterification

+/Higher viscosity
compared with light
oil etc.

(2) Raw Jatropha

Oil mixed with
diesel Oil

+/- ~ +
Subject to mixing
ratio

+
Lower viscosity
(3) Bio-dieselization
Proven)
Esterification

Production Cost

Unknown
(could be lower
than Bio-diesel)
+/- ~ +
Mixing devices are
required.
Production
devices and
alcohols are
required.

Production
Process
+
Simple

+/- ~ +

Complicated

Jatropha as fuel (5)

Engine performance of straight jatropha oil (BD 100), compared to
diesel oil-jatropha oil mix (BD 50), and diesel oil (K100)
Pressure vs time at full load
( 28 kW)
150

Pressure in fuel pipe(MPa)

Pressure in cylinder (MPa)

120

Pressure in
cylinder
Pressure in fuel
pipe

-30

Collapse time (milisecond)

Too often people want the benefits

without taking responsibility for
sustaining the system that has
benefited them.

ZERO DISCHARGE :
WHAT, WHY, AND HOW
Zero discharge means more than nothing at all
out of the plant.
BIOREFINERY means to perform the overall
processes with a minimum loss of energy and mass
and to maximise the overall production chain
value.

Success is a journey, not a

destination.
Ben Sweetland

Kernel

Seed

Sterilized seeds

Grinded kernel

Kernel and shell

Straight jatropha oil

Cake

Shell

Detoxification

Animal feedstock
Phorbol ester
(Anti-cancer activator
& anti leukimia)
Bio oil

65%

Sterilizer
Sterilized seeds
100%

Grinder

Crusher

Grinded kernel
35%
Expeller
30%
Separator

35%

Detoxification

Pyrolisis

Phorbol ester
(Anti-cancer activator
& anti leukimia)

Reference
|

Gubitz, G. M., M. Mittelbach, M. Trabi, Exploitation of the

tropical seed plant Jatropha curcas L.,Bioresource
Technology 67 (1999)
Openshaw, Keith, A review of Jatropha curcas: an oil
plant of unfulfilled promise, Biomass & Bioenergy 19
(2000)
Sambanthamurthi, Ravigadevi, Kalyana Sundram, YewAi Tan, Chemistry and biochemistry of palm oil, Progress
in Lipid Research 39 (2000)
Kandpal, J. B., Mira Madan, Jatropha curcus: a
renewable source of energy meeting future energy
needs, Technical Note, Renewable Energy Vol. 6 No. 2

Acknowledgement
The jatropha oil characteristics and engine test is obtained
from the project Development of Small Distributed Power
Plant Generation Utilizing Jatropha in Indonesia conducted
by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Institut Teknologi Bandung,
Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.,. dan West Japan
Engineering Consultants, Inc. (West JEC), sponsored by
NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organization)