Abstract
Today, biofuels are indispensable in the implementation of fossil fuels replacement processes. This study evaluates ethyl acetate (EA) as a solvent of two straight vegetable oils (SVOs), castor oil (CO), and sunflower oil (SO), in order to obtain EA/SVO double blends that can be used directly as biofuels, or along with fossil diesel (D), in the current compression-ignition (C.I.) engines. The interest of EA as oxygenated additive lies not only in its low price and renewable character, but also in its very attractive properties such as low kinematic viscosity, reasonable energy density, high oxygen content, and rich cold flow properties. Revelant fuel properties of EA/SVO double and D/EA/SVO triple blends have been object of study including kinematic viscosity, pour point (PP), cloud point (CP), calorific value (CV), and cetane number (CN). The suitability of using these blends as fuels has been tested by running them on a diesel engine electric generator, analyzing their effect on engine power output, fuel consumption, and smoke emissions. Results obtained indicate that the D/EA/SO and D/EA/CO triple blends, composed by up to 24% and 36% EA, respectively, allow a fossil diesel substitution up to 60–80% providing power values very similar to conventional diesel.In addition, in exchange of a slight fuel consumption, a very notable lessening in the emission of pollutants as well as a better behavior at low temperatures, as compared to diesel, are achieved.
Highlights
Nowadays, fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas represent approximately 80% of the world energy consumption
Blends with ethyl acetate as lower viscosity solvent (LVS) of sunflower and castor oils here evaluated has showed a greater efficiency on C.I. diesel engine than analogous mixtures tested in previous researches [16,17]
Triple blends containing diethyl ether (DEE) as renewable solvent achieved the best result with a comply with new environmental requirements related to its renewable character, the objective of this proportion 60/18/22 D/DEE/castor oil (CO), which led to a maximum of 40% of diesel replacement, and up to research was to evaluate the potential of ethyl acetate as renewable biofuel in double blends with two
Summary
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas represent approximately 80% of the world energy consumption. It is expected that the industrialization, together with the growing population will increase energy demand in the years, with the consequent negative effects on global climate [1]. It is mandatory the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and biofuels, to avoid damaging the environment [2]. Until today, biodiesel has been the mostly employed biofuel as substitute of fossil diesel. Biodiesel is produced through transesterification of triglycerides from vegetable oils (palm, corn, soybean, sunflower, etc.) with methanol or ethanol, being a sustainable and environmentally friendly
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