Abstract
An evaluation was made to determine the effect of the glycerides presence resulting from the incomplete conversion of soybean biodiesel produced via alkaline catalysis and ethylic route on engine performance, and emissions in formulations containing 10 and 20% (m/m) of biodiesel used as additives in base diesel with low sulfur content and cetane ratings of 45 and 50. By way of comparison, similar formulations were used with soybean biodiesel methyl route with low concentration of glycerides. Tests on a diesel cycle engine with a mechanical fuel injection system indicated that the presence of glycerides decreases the volatility of biodiesel and increase the cetane number of fuels. The higher the cetane number, the higher the particulate matter emissions and the lower the unburned hydrocarbon emissions. Formulations with cetane number 50 showed higher emissions of particulate matter. The presence of glycerides in biodiesel reduces the fuel's vapor pressure, thereby increasing the cetane number and emissions of particulate matter and lower emissions of unburned hydrocarbons. The specific consumption of fuels formulated with biodiesel increases due to its lower enthalpy of combustion and to the presence of glycerides in fuels formulated with soybean biodiesel produced via the ethanol route.
Highlights
The main biofuel used in diesel fuel formulations is biodiesel, a derivative of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids
This study evaluates the effect of soybean biodiesel produced via base catalysis and via the methanol and ethanol routes on the performance and emissions of formulations containing 10 and 20% (m/m) of biodiesel, using base diesel with low sulfur content and cetane number (CN) of 45 and 50
The base diesel fuel used was a brand sold in Brazil (S10) with low sulfur content (10 ppm), and CN 50, which was modified with the secondary standard (U17) supplied by Chevron-Phillips to obtain base diesel fuel with CN 45
Summary
The main biofuel used in diesel fuel formulations is biodiesel, a derivative of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids. The polar characteristic of the methanol and ethanol make them immiscible in triglycerides at room temperature, and the mixtures are usually mechanically agitated to provide the mass transfer, which produces emulsions during the reaction These emulsions are, in part, caused by the formation of intermediates as mono and diacylglycerol, which have hydroxyl groups and non-polar hydrocarbon chains. In methanolysis, the emulsions are separated into two layers, one lower (glycerol) and one higher ester-rich Instead, in ethanolysis, they are more stable and severe, making it tough to separate and purify the esters.[33] In this context, this study evaluates the effect of soybean biodiesel produced via base catalysis and via the methanol and ethanol routes (hereinafter referred to as MR and ER, respectively) on the performance and emissions of formulations containing 10 and 20% (m/m) of biodiesel, using base diesel with low sulfur content and CN of 45 and 50. The NOx emissions were estimated based on data reported in the literature.[10,34,35,36,37]
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