Fundamental droplet evaporation and engine application studies of an alternate fuel produced from waste transformer oil

Abstract

With a motivation to contribute in the fundamental and application aspects of alternate fuel research, which has been rarely reported in the same study, this research work has been commemorated. Herein, WTO (waste transformer oil) has been considered as a replacement for diesel as tapping the source of energy from waste products would help reduce the fuel cost. As such, WTO was subjected to fuel refinement process by trans-esterifying it in two stages using acid and alkali catalysts. Characteristically, the estimated physical and thermal properties of TWTO (trans-esterified waste transformer oil) were recognized to be suitable for its use in a diesel engine. Prior to the application study of testing TWTO – diesel blends in a diesel engine, fundamental study on droplet evaporation was performed through suspended droplet experimental facility to appraise their evaporation attributes. Reportedly, the droplet regression, evaporation constant and droplet lifetime were found to be superior for B50 (50% TWTO and 50% diesel) than B100 (100% TWTO). Finally, from the application study, operation of TWTO – diesel blends in a diesel engine divulged comparable performance and combustion for B25 with that of diesel. Similarly, gaseous emissions such as CO (carbon monoxide), smoke and NOX (oxides of nitrogen) were found to be in closer agreement for B25 with diesel, deducing it as an optimum blend for an unmodified diesel engine.