Characteristics Investigation of Biodiesel-Diesel (B50) Blend with Ethanol Additive as C I Engine Fuel

Abstract

Biodiesels are being utilized as renewable, alternative energy resource of fuels and also the best substitute for continuously depleting mineral diesel as they have similar characteristics of combustion. The use of pure biodiesel as a fuel for diesel engines is presently limited due to problems relating to biodiesel fuel properties. By the addition of additive to biodiesel fuel properties can be improved to the acceptable range. In the present work, the test fuel was prepared with B50 blend fuel (50% palm oil methyl ester + 50% diesel) and ethanol additive at different percentages (0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20%) and investigated for their properties. The results revealed that by increasing the quantity of additive in B50 improves in density, viscosity, pour point and cloud point and with slight decrease in energy content. For the test fuel viscosity and density are decreases by 41%, 2.73%, respectively with 20% ethanol in blend fuel. The flash and fire points are 51oC and 54oC slightly lower than the flash and fire points of the conventional diesel and 18.3% of energy content decreases as compared to the blend fuel. All the test fuels (B50 blend fuel with ethanol additive) samples meet the requirements of ASTM D6751 biodiesel.