• Energy Research

Diesel fuel (waste methyl ester, WME) production from waste vegetable oil due to the recycling and the environmental protection of rivers and sea has been carried out in Yaku town of Yakushima Island since October 1999. In this study, the collection of waste vegetable oil and the WME production were investigated. The part of waste vegetable oil sampled in Yakushima had high acid value (deterioration) compared with other area. The amount of gathered waste vegetable oil was 15-17 kL per year. This value was 35-45% of the amount in which the collection was possible. The fuel conversion ratio of WME from waste vegetable oil was 96%. The fuel properties of WME were the same as those presented by authors. The produced WME has been used as diesel fuel for the 20 vehicles of a Yaku town office.

Diesel fuel (waste methyl ester, WME) production from waste vegetable oil due to the recycling and the environmental protection of rivers and sea has been carried out in Yaku town of Yakushima Island since October 1999. In this study, the collection of waste vegetable oil and the WME production were investigated. The part of waste vegetable oil sampled in Yakushima had high acid value (deterioration) compared with other area. The amount of gathered waste vegetable oil was 15-17 kL per year. This value was 35-45% of the amount in which the collection was possible. The fuel conversion ratio of WME from waste vegetable oil was 96%. The fuel properties of WME were the same as those presented by authors. The produced WME has been used as diesel fuel for the 20 vehicles of a Yaku town office.

Background of the Problem: In the context of depletion of fossil fuels, ever increasing pollution levels with fossil fuels and increasing economic burden on developing countries like India, the search for alternative fuels has become pertinent. Vegetable oils are important substitutes for diesel fuel, as they are renewable and have properties comparable to diesel fuel. However, drawbacks associated with vegetable oils are high viscosity and low volatility compel to use low heat rejection diesel engines. The viscosity of vegetable oils is reduced to some extent by the process of esterification, known as biodiesel. The exhaust emissions of diesel engines cause health hazards if they are inhaled in. They also cause environmental disorders like global warming, acid rain and Green-house effect. Hence the study of exhaust emissions is an important and urgent task. Aim: Experiments were conducted to determine the exhaust emissions of a low heat rejection (LHR) diesel engine consisting of ceramic coated cylinder head with different operating conditions of crude jatropha oil (CJO) and its biodiesel of normal temperature and preheated temperature with varied injection timing and injection pressure. Study Design: Exhaust emissions of particulate emissions and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were determined at various values of brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) with different versions of the engine, with varied injection timing and injection pressure with different operating conditions of jatropha oil in crude form and biodiesel. Methodology: Exhaust emissions were determined with sophisticated analyzers at various values of BMEP of the engine. Results: Conventional engine (CE) showed increased pollutants, while LHR engine showed reduction of particulate emissions and drastically increased nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels with both forms of the test fuels at recommended injection timing and pressure. The performance of both versions of the engine improved with advanced injection timing and higher injection pressure when compared with CE with neat diesel operation. Advanced injection timing and increased injection pressure and preheated test fuels reduced pollutants. Biodiesel operation further decreased particulate emissions and increased nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

Recently, decreasing of fossil fuel reserves and their negative effect on environment have increased the interest in alternative energy sources. One of the alternative energy sources is vegetable oils. In this study, blends of 50 % opium poppy oil — 50 % diesel fuel mixture are tested as alternative fuel on a single cylinder, 4-stroke, air cooled, pre-combustion chamber diesel engine at different speeds and its effects on engine performance and emissions are investigated. When compared to the diesel fuel as average, engine torque and power decrease at 4 % and 5.73 %, respectively. Specific fuel consumption increases by using of 50% opium poppy oil — 50 % diesel fuel mixture. When compared to the diesel fuel as average, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides emissions of 50 % opium poppy oil — 50 % diesel fuel mixture decrease to 15.5 % and 5.9 %, respectively. Diesel fuel-opium poppy oil mixture has been found notably successful and environment friendly as an alternative fuel for diesel engines.

Abstract The extraction of Biodiesel from vegetable oil is time-consuming and requires human involvement to perform and keep track of chemical titration, stirring, and washing the product for each batch of production. A well-designed system can significantly eliminate human interaction and expedite the whole process. The construction of an inexpensive automated biodiesel plant can help produce Biodiesel on a large scale and make a breakthrough in Bangladesh’s economy as no such effort has been undertaken so far. To achieve the desired aim, this paper focuses on implementing the construction of a cheap, compact, and automatic system that will exhaustively reduce human interactions and the processing time and increase biodiesel yield. For this purpose, an automated biodiesel processor was designed and constructed in conjunction with pumps, solenoid valves, level sensors, temperature sensors, etc., using a programmable logic controller (PLC). Upon completing a full cycle, the plant delivers certified Biodiesel and the leftover by-products are collected for further recycling. Different batches of Biodiesel were produced. A comparative study of the physical properties of the fuel and the diesel engine’s performance characteristics by these fuel samples was analysed and showed satisfactory results.

Fact sheet features answers to frequently asked questions on biodiesel blends.

Fact sheet providing questions and answers on the use of biodiesel as an alternative vehicle fuel.

Abstract It has been found that the vegetable oils are promising substitute, because of their properties are similar to those of diesel fuel and they are renewable and can be easily produced. However, drawbacks associated with crude vegetable oils are high viscosity, low volatility call for low heat rejection combustion chamber, with its significance characteristics of higher operating temperature, maximum heat release, and ability to handle lower calorific value (CV) fuel etc. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the performance of an engine consisting of different low heat rejection (LHR) combustion chambers such as ceramic coated cylinder head-LHR-1, air gap insulated piston with superni (an alloy of nickel) crown and air gap insulated liner with superni insert - LHR-2; and ceramic coated cylinder head, air gap insulated piston and air gap insulated liner - LHR-3 with normal temperature condition of crude rice bran oil (CRBO) with varied injector opening pressure. Performance parameters (brake thermal efficiency, brake specific energy consumption, exhaust gas temperature, coolant load, and volumetric efficiency) and exhaust emissions [smoke levels and oxides of nitrogen [NOx]] were determined at various values of brake mean effective pressure of the engine. Combustion characteristics [peak pressure, time of occurrence of peak pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise] were determined at full load operation of the engine. Conventional engine (CE) showed compatible performance and LHR combustion chambers showed improved performance at recommended injection timing of 27°bTDC and recommend injector opening pressure of 190 bar with CRBO operation, when compared with CE with pure diesel operation. Peak brake thermal efficiencyincreased relatively by 7%, brake specific energy consumption at full load operation decreased relatively by 3.5%, smoke levels at full load decreased relatively by 11% and NOx levels increased relatively by 58% with LHR-3 combustion chamber with CRBO at an injector opening pressure of 190 bar when compared with pure diesel operation on CE