Determination of Quality Properties of Low-Grade Biodiesel and Its Heating Oil Blends

Kleopatra Poyadji,Agapios Agapiou,Nikolaos Kokkinos,Marinos Stylianou,Christos Kallis

doi:10.3390/environments5090096

Kleopatra Poyadji, Agapios Agapiou + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/environments5090096

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Abstract

This research work examined how biodiesel produced from frying oils affects the physicochemical properties of its mixtures with conventional heating oil. Through the characterization of biodiesel blends and heating oil, the purpose is to produce an improved heating oil that will meet the specifications of the existing legislation for heating oil, while positively contributing to reducing the production of pollutants. The percentage of biodiesel added to a conventional diesel fuel contributes to the reduction of the pollutants produced during combustion. The examined biodiesel is considered the residual product, which was produced at a factory in Cyprus, and was deemed unsuitable for export, because it does not meet the legal requirements. Using specific volumes of these mixtures, twelve parameters were determined in order to investigate the effect of the mixtures: kinematic viscosity, sulfur content, micro carbon residue (MCR), distillation curves, density, cloud point (CP), fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) content, heat of combustion, iodine value (IV), cetane index (CI) after distillation, oxidation stability, and cold filter plugging point (CFPP). A number of fuel properties including the kinematic viscosity, MCR, distillation temperature—up to 80% distillate—and density showed an increase as the percentage of FAMEs raised from 2.5 to 50%, while others showed a mixed behavior (e.g., IV, CP, CI, CFPP), and the rest an inverse trend (e.g., sulfur content, heat of combustion and oxidation stability). An efficient potential utilization of a residual domestic product is proposed, while the pollutants that accumulate on the urban atmospheres during the winter months, due to increased heating needs of homes and other public or private buildings, will be significantly reduced.

Highlights

Use of fossil fuels produces several negative effects on public health, climate change, and the environment
An efficient potential utilization of a residual domestic product is proposed, while the pollutants that accumulate on the urban atmospheres during the winter months, due to increased heating needs of homes and other public or private buildings, will be significantly reduced
The present paper assesses the possibility of using a biodiesel residual product that was characterized as unsuitable for export purposes, as a feedstock to heating oil in order to improve its specifications

Summary

Introduction

Use of fossil fuels produces several negative effects on public health, climate change, and the environment. In order to sustain the worldwide economic growth and reduce the negative impacts on the environment, green energy solutions are promoted worldwide. Biodiesel highlights as such a strong alternative solution to diesel, as its wide usage confirmed its potentiality to reduce the serious environmental concerns, as well as oil dependency. Environments 2018, 5, 96 acceptance, as a clean, biodegradable and biocompatible green product, which is in harmony with the political and environmental awareness and in line with future strategies on renewable fossil fuels. The high cost of biodiesel production remains the main disadvantage to its wide spread use

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