Combustion heat release models of biodiesels

Fossil fuels such as standard gasoline and diesel fuel are the most important source of energy for our society today, providing the bulk of global energy requirements for transportation, construction, heating, and agriculture. Many new developments in technology have made alternative sources of energy more economically feasible including advances in solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear energy. It is a domestic, clean-burning, renewable liquid fuel that can be used in compression-ignition engines instead of petroleum-based diesel with little or no modifications. Biodiesel blends are more commonly used than pure B100 fuels. The main reason for this is that running 100% biodiesel sometimes requires modifications to the engine, due to the higher content of alcohol present in biodiesel

Variation of Engine Performance and Emissions using Ethanol Blends

The limited fossil fuel resources along with the increased public concerns about pollution levels have increased the need for alternative fuels for use in internal combustion engines. This study is to investigate the variation of the engine performance and exhaust emissions of a spark ignition engine. A spark ignition engine running with gasoline and gasoline blended E5, E10 and E20. Effects of engine speeds between 1000 and 3500 rpm with intervals 500 rpm and throttle valve 25%, 50%, 75% and full throttle, on the engine performance and the emission concentrations are investigated. Improved engine performance and reduced emissions are observed with ethanol addition

Variation of Engine Performance and Emissions using Ethanol Blends.

The limited fossil fuel resources along with the increased public concerns about pollution levels have increased the need for alternative fuels for use in internal combustion engines. This study is to investigate the variation of the engine performance and exhaust emissions of a spark ignition engine. A spark ignition engine running with gasoline and gasoline blended E5, E10 and E20. Effects of engine speeds between 1000 and 3500 rpm with intervals 500 rpm and throttle valve 25%, 50%, 75% and full throttle, on the engine performance and the emission concentrations are investigated. Improved engine performance and reduced emissions are observed with ethanol addition

Variation of Engineering Performance and Emissions using Biodiesel Fuels

There is considerable concern over the increasing demand on our limited supply fossil fuel and as a result initiatives are being considered to extend the use of such fossil fuels. In addition there is international concern regarding the associated pollution levels and it is these collective concerns that have increased the demand for alternative fuels to be used in internal combustion engines. This study investigates the engine performance and exhaust emissions of a compression ignition CI engine over its full speed and engine load range when running on differing type of biodiesel. Engine performance, measured as torque, power and specific fuel consumption are recorded at each engine parameter setting along with the exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2). It is seen that the benefits are not very clear and that reduced emissions may in fact be balanced by reduced performance or that increased performance is offset by higher emissions. Overall conclusion is that the sustainability of biodiesel as a green fuel is in question, with reports that deforestation is taking place to grow fuel stock. The paper will present the empirical results and look towards the peripheral effects of using arable land to satisfy the increasing need for fuel, and question the sustainability of such an approach. The increased demands on engine servicing are also considered within the paper, so presenting a balanced holistic approach to the uses of biofuels. The biodiesel processor was developed for the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils such as rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, corn and waste vegetable oil. The vegetable oils and its biodiesel samples were characterized and their rheological behavior was analyzer

Investigation of engine performance and exhaust gas emissions by using bio-diesel in compression ignition engine and optimisation of bio-diesel production from feedstock by using response surface methodology

Bio-diesel, derived from the transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats with simple alcohols, has attracted more and more attention recently. As a cleaner burning diesel alternative, bio-diesel claims to have many attractive features including: biodegradability, nontoxicity, renewability and low emission profiles. Free fatty acid (FFA) esterification and triglyceride (TG) transesterification with low alcohols molar ratio are the central reactions for the bio-diesel production. This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of running biodiesel fuel and its blends on conventional diesel engines. Bio-fuels provide a way to produce fuels without redesigning any of the engine technology present today, yet allowing for green house emissions to decrease. Bio-diesel is one of these types of emerging bio-fuels, which has an immediate alternative fuel, while providing a decrease in green house gas emissions, as well as a solution to recycling used Waste Vegetable Oils which are otherwise disposed. This study shows how by blending bio-diesel with petroleum diesel at intervals of B5, B10, B15, and B20 decrease green house gas emissions significantly while maintaining similar performance output and efficiency with respect to 100% petroleum diesel. The focus of this research is to optimize the biodiesel production from crude sunflower oil. The effect of variables including methanol/oil molar ratio, NaOH catalyst concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, and rate of mixing on the bio-diesel yield was examined and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Besides, a second-order model was deduced to predict the biodiesel yield. Confirmation experiment was further conducted, validating the efficacy of the model. Transesterification of sunflower oil was carried out using low molecular weight alcohols and sodium hydroxide. For sunflower oil, a central composite design with eight factorial, six center and six axial points was used to study the effect of catalyst concentration, molar ratio of methanol to sunflower oil and reaction temperature on percentage yield of the biodiesel. Catalyst concentration and molar ratio of methanol to sunflower oil were the most influential variables affecting percentage conversion and percentage initial absorbance. Maximum percentage yield of 95 % is predicted at a catalyst concentration of 1.1 % (wt/wt) and methanol to sunflower oil molar ratio of 6.8:1 at reaction time of 66 min and temperature of 35°C. In general, the sunflower oil biodiesel exhibited friendly environmental benefits and acceptable stability, demonstrating its feasibility as an alternative fuel

Evaluation of Properties and use of waste vegetable oil (WVO), pure vegetable oils and standard diesel as used in a compression ignition engine

This work aims to investigate the viability of using vegetable oils and waste oils a an alternative to or additive to basic diesel fuel. Rapeseed oil, sunflower oil and waste cooking oils was used to manufacture bio-diesel oil by the transesterification process using a commercially available “fuelpod”. The base oils were tested to first characterize them against diesel and the characteristics were remeasured after the conversion process. The fuels were then tested on a steady state engine test rig using a modern four cylinder compression ignition engine. Significant improvement in the viscosity was observed in the waste vegetable oils (WVO) after the transesterification process. The specific fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions were reduced due to decrease in viscosity of the WVO. Acceptable thermal efficiencies of the engine were obtained with biodiesel. From the properties and engine test results it has been establish that biodiesel of WVO can be substituted for diesel without any engine modification and preheating of the fuels. Sustainability issues present an obstacle for general use so only small fleet operators may take advantage of the alternative fuel

The Effects of Using Bio-diesel as Fuel on Compression Ignition (CI) Engine and Its Production from Vegetable Oils

This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of using bio-diesel blends on diesel engine performance and its emissions. The bio-diesel fuels were produced from vegetable oils using the transesterification process with low molecular weight alcohols and sodium hydroxide then tested on a steady state engine test rig using a Euro 4 four cylinder Compression Ignition (CI) engine. Production optimization was achieved by changing the variables which included methanol/oil molar ratio, NaOH catalyst concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, and rate of mixing to maximize bio-diesel yield. The technique used was the response surface methodology. In addition, a second-order model was developed to predict the bio-diesel yield if the production criteria is known. The model was validated using additional experimental testing

Influence of production variables for biodiesel synthesis on yields and fuel properties, and optimization of production conditions

This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of using bio-diesel on diesel engine performance and its emissions. The bio-diesel fuels were produced from vegetable oils using the transesterification process with low molecular weight alcohols and sodium hydroxide then tested on a steady state engine test rig using a Euro 4 four cylinder Compression Ignition (CI) engine. Production optimization was achieved by changing the variables which included methanol/oil molar ratio, NaOH catalyst concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, and rate of mixing to maximize bio-diesel yield. The technique used was the response surface methodology. In addition, a second-order model was developed to predict the bio-diesel yield if the production criteria is known. The model was validated using additional experimental testing

The optimization of biodiesel production by using response surface methodology and its effect on compression ignition engine

Bio-fuel production provides an alternative non-fossil fuel without the need to redesign current engine technology. This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of using biodiesel blends on diesel engine performance and its emissions. The biodiesel fuels were produced from sunflower oil using the transesterification process with low molecular weight alcohols and sodium hydroxide then tested on a steady state engine test rig using a Euro 4 four cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine. This study also shows how by blending biodiesel with diesel fuel at intervals of B5, B10, B15, and B20 can decrease harmful gas emissions significantly while maintaining similar performance output and efficiency. Production optimization was achieved by changing the variables which included methanol/oil molar ratio, NaOH catalyst concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, and the rate of mixing to maximize biodiesel yield. The technique used was the response surface methodology (RSM). In addition, a second-order model was developed to predict the biodiesel yield if the production criteria is known. The model was validated using additional experimental testing. It was determined that the catalyst concentration and molar ratio of methanol to sunflower oil were the most influential variables affecting percentage conversion to fuel and percentage initial absorbance