**2. The biomass waste of** *Jatropha curcas* **L. oil production**

The waste biomass from oil production is shown in **Figure 2** below.

Waste biomass from *J. curcas* L. plantation and its oil production has nutrient and mineral content as presented in **Table 1**.

to the soil. The fruit hull constitutes 30% of the fruit. Calorific value of fruit hull is dependent on the humidity. With humidity 15%, the calorific value being considered is 11.1 MJ/kg [5].

Wan et al. [4].

**Nutrients Leafa Woodb Fruit Seed cakeb**

N (%) 6.40 3.34 2.15 0.19 4.39 4.90 P (%) 0.34 0.09 0.05 0.01 1.10 0.90 K (%) 2.45 2.87 0.73 0.31 0.94 1.75 Ca (%) 1.40 0.30 0.44 0.28 0.34 0.31 Mg (%) 0.53 0.26 0.30 0.06 0.53 0.68 S (%) 0.19 0.12 0.10 0.01 0.21 0.24 Zn (ppm) 28 55 22 1 47 55 Fe (ppm) 168 99 40 8 73 772 Cu (ppm) 6 2 11 3 18 22 Mn (ppm) 117 605 25 13 28 85 B (ppm) 71 10 4 2 5 20 Na (ppm) 808 134 28 20 17 —

**Hullb Seed huskb Kernelc**

*Jatropha Curcas* L. Biomass Waste and Its Utilization http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72803 275

Considering nutrients and minerals above (**Table 1**), waste biomass from *J. curcas* L. has its own peculiarity. Jatropha seed cake has proven as fertilizer [6]. Leaf has nutrient and mineral content higher than other parts especially seed cake, while stem also has potential nutrients and minerals too. Seed cake cannot be used as animal feed because it contains toxins such as

The leaves, stems, fruit hull and seed oilcake could be used as potential fertilizer. Jatropha hull has very high ash content, around 13% [7] and ash will melt at temperature above 750°C. Gasifier operates around 900–1000°C. Hence, the hull is not suitable for being used as a fuel for gasifier. It creates melted ash that can deposit in the bed fluidization. However, the

Theoretically, the best use of press cake is for energy purposes first, and then as a fertilizer. Even when digested to obtain biogas for energy, the nutritional value remains intact. The presence of milky substance (sap) in the stem makes it hard to burn the stem without drying it first. The largest biomass from jatropha is from seed cake, which is around 59.24%w of fruit (wet basis), fruit hull 22.05%w of fruit (wet basis), seed husk 27.16%w of fruit (wet basis) [8]. Around 95% oil can be extracted using chemical extraction, while only 85% can be obtained by mechanical extraction [9]. It means the seed cake still contains 5–15% oil. Considering the amount of energy in jatropha seed cake, it should first be utilized for energy purposes such

Calorific value will increase with increase in its humidity.

Saturnino et al. [3]; c

**Table 1.** Nutrient composition of *Jatropha curcas* L. plant.

hull can be converted to biogas using biological conversion process.

phorbol ester curcasin and cursin [2].

Refs: a

Pacheco et al. [2]; b

Although there are small amount of nutrients in leaves but these compounds are good for the soil fertility. When the plant sheds off its leaves, they decompose and their minerals go back

**Figure 2.** Biomass waste from *Jatropha curcas* L. oil production.


**Table 1.** Nutrient composition of *Jatropha curcas* L. plant.

The oil can be converted to biodiesel through transesterification easily [1]. Utilization is associated with the biomass that is left behind after the oil extraction. Large number of waste impacts the environment. In this chapter, we present several ways of processing the waste to

Waste biomass from *J. curcas* L. plantation and its oil production has nutrient and mineral

Although there are small amount of nutrients in leaves but these compounds are good for the soil fertility. When the plant sheds off its leaves, they decompose and their minerals go back

**2. The biomass waste of** *Jatropha curcas* **L. oil production**

The waste biomass from oil production is shown in **Figure 2** below.

make it a valuable product.

**Figure 1.** *Jatropha curcas* L.

274 Advances in Biofuels and Bioenergy

content as presented in **Table 1**.

**Figure 2.** Biomass waste from *Jatropha curcas* L. oil production.

to the soil. The fruit hull constitutes 30% of the fruit. Calorific value of fruit hull is dependent on the humidity. With humidity 15%, the calorific value being considered is 11.1 MJ/kg [5]. Calorific value will increase with increase in its humidity.

Considering nutrients and minerals above (**Table 1**), waste biomass from *J. curcas* L. has its own peculiarity. Jatropha seed cake has proven as fertilizer [6]. Leaf has nutrient and mineral content higher than other parts especially seed cake, while stem also has potential nutrients and minerals too. Seed cake cannot be used as animal feed because it contains toxins such as phorbol ester curcasin and cursin [2].

The leaves, stems, fruit hull and seed oilcake could be used as potential fertilizer. Jatropha hull has very high ash content, around 13% [7] and ash will melt at temperature above 750°C. Gasifier operates around 900–1000°C. Hence, the hull is not suitable for being used as a fuel for gasifier. It creates melted ash that can deposit in the bed fluidization. However, the hull can be converted to biogas using biological conversion process.

Theoretically, the best use of press cake is for energy purposes first, and then as a fertilizer. Even when digested to obtain biogas for energy, the nutritional value remains intact. The presence of milky substance (sap) in the stem makes it hard to burn the stem without drying it first.

The largest biomass from jatropha is from seed cake, which is around 59.24%w of fruit (wet basis), fruit hull 22.05%w of fruit (wet basis), seed husk 27.16%w of fruit (wet basis) [8]. Around 95% oil can be extracted using chemical extraction, while only 85% can be obtained by mechanical extraction [9]. It means the seed cake still contains 5–15% oil. Considering the amount of energy in jatropha seed cake, it should first be utilized for energy purposes such as biogas production and second purpose may be as a fertilizer. The seed cake of jatropha can be used as organic fertilizer because it still has nutrients and mineral needed by the plant. Jatropha seed cake could be used in combustion process but considering air emission produced by burning, its use as a fertilizer would be a better choice.

#### **2.1. Jatropha as a fertilizer (green manure)**

In this section, use of jatropha as a fertilizer or green manure has been presented. Green manure can reduce loss of nutrients from soil and give sustainable nutrient supply for long period as compared to chemical fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers can get solubilize in water and will drift together with water especially during the rainy seasons. Patolia et al. [10] reported after 2 years that N45 application could increase the dry matter compared to N<sup>o</sup> application. Ghosh et al. [6] also reported that dry matter of sandy loam soil could be increased upto 120% by adding 3 tons of seedcake/ha as manure. *J. curcas* L. seedcake contain 2% N, 1.2% P2 O5 and 1.4% K<sup>2</sup> O.

#### **2.2. Biogas production**

Biogas (methane) is produced by anaerobic digestion. Biogas has wide utilities as it can be applied directly for cooking, heating and stationary engine operation in dual fuel mode. The biogas is purified, compressed and stored in cylinder as CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) for automotive transport purposes, power generation as well as in agricultural unit operation.

**2.3. Feedstock combustion for gasifier**

for 340 minute at 2 flow rates (4.5 and 5.5 m<sup>3</sup>

**2.4. Bioactive compost production**

the acidic soil.

of 68.31% was achieved at gas flow rate of 5.5 m<sup>3</sup>

and by adding 0.4 kg/h biomass consumption rate.

**Figure 3.** Production of methane from parts of *Jatropha curcas* L. [8].

Vyas and Singh [14] reported that jatropha seed husk could be used successfully as feedstock for open core down draft gasifier, although the gasifier has to be induced by 1 kg charcoal and 3.2 kg wood. Jatropha seed husk analysis contains 3.97% dry basis ash, 71.04% dry basis volatile matter and 24.99% dry basis fixed carbon. Gasifier was able to run on jatropha seed husk

Bioactive compost can be produced from *J. curcas* hull. Sharma et al. [15] produced bioactive compost from jatropha hull biomass by using lingocellulolytic fungi. Bioactive compost is for increasing the added value compared to ordinary manure. Within 1 month, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio of hull decreases from 66.93 to 12–16. From C/N ratio point of view, composting of jatropha hull in 1 month has indicated a better composition of bioactive compost. However, it takes nearly 4 months for complete compost maturation. After 4 months, phytotoxicity of compost can be reduced, thus compost will be ready to use. Bioactive compost from jatropha hull is alkaline, so it is suitable for acidic soil. It can balance the pH of

Gasification efficiency can possibly be increased 2.35% by increasing 1 m<sup>3</sup>

/h) without any problems. Gasification efficiency

/h and biomass consumption rate of 2.2 kg/h.

*Jatropha Curcas* L. Biomass Waste and Its Utilization http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72803 277

/h of gas flow rate

Jatropha seed cake has good potential as biogas feedstock due to confer 60% higher biogas and also better calorific value than the cattle dung [11]. Chandra et al. [11] reported jatropha seed cakes have biogas generation potential in the range of 220–250 and 240–265 L/kg of cake respectively (under mesophilic temperature range of anaerobic digestion). C, H, and N composition was 48.8; 6.20 and 3.85% with C/N ratio of 12.70. The methane content of biogas derived from non-edible oil seed cakes has been found to range between 65 and 70% against 55% from the cattle dung. The best dilution ratio of cake is at 1:4 (cake:water) for *J. curcas* seed cakes. Production of biogas from *J. curcas* seed cakes is one of easy ways for waste management. It can also be used to fulfill energy need for rural areas. According to Kumar [12], in India ~2550 million cubic meters of biogas has been produced from 10.2 lakh metric tons of *J. curcas* seed cakes.

Visser and Adriaans [13] studied anaerobic digestion of *J. curcas* press cake. The cake was from cold pressing jatropha seed including the husk. Digestion was carried out at temperature 20°C, pressure 1 bar during 60 days. Jatropha cake that pressed with nozzle (aperture size of 7 mm) contain 33% hull produced a cumulative biogas yield of 0.95 m<sup>3</sup> /kg dry matter, with 85% carbon conversion. Gunaseelan [8] reported energy biomass from part of fresh *J. curcas*. The feedstocks were dried at 60°C before use and subsequently grained to become 2 mm mesh. Other parts of *J. curcas* plant as a biogas feedstock is presented in **Figure 3**.

**Figure 3** suggests not only jatropha cake, but also all parts of the jatropha plant could be utilized for producing biogas (methane). The highest yield was achieved from seed kernel 0.969 L/g Volatile Solid added. If compared to the yield from de-oiled cake, which is just 0.23 L/g VS added, it shows oil has potential with 0.739 L/g Volatile Solid added.

**Figure 3.** Production of methane from parts of *Jatropha curcas* L. [8].
