Abstract
The article discusses the technology of biodiesel production from used vegetable oils and presents the results of studying the main physicochemical properties of the obtained fuel. Under modern conditions of energy resource depletion and increasing environmental pollution, the development of alternative and environmentally safe fuels has become highly important. One of the promising approaches is the recycling of used vegetable oils for biodiesel production. In the study, used vegetable oils collected from public catering facilities were used as raw materials. Prior to processing, the oils were purified from mechanical impurities and dried. Biodiesel was produced by the transesterification method using ethyl alcohol and potassium hydroxide as a catalyst. The density, kinematic viscosity, flash point, pour point, sulfur content, and ash content of the obtained biodiesel were determined by laboratory methods. In addition, biodiesel blends with conventional diesel fuel of different compositions were studied and their performance characteristics were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the main physicochemical properties of biodiesel meet international standards. It was established that the low sulfur content of biodiesel reduces harmful emissions into the atmosphere and improves the environmental safety of the fuel.