Castor Oil Biodiesel Research Articles

Rotor–stator hydrodynamic cavitation reactor for intensification of castor oil biodiesel production

AbstractNowadays, the intensification of the production of biodiesel from non-edible oil crops is mandatory to overcome petrol-fuel depletion and environmental pollution. For the first time, enhanced biodiesel production from castor oil via rotor–stator hydrodynamic cavitation has been studied in this work. Response surface methodology based on one-factor-at-a-time design of experiments was employed for modelling and optimizing the biodiesel yield and the decrease in feedstock viscosity, density, and total acid number (TAN). The predicted optimum parameters of 8.15:1 methanol:oil (M:O), 1499 rpm, 29.38 min, 48.43 °C, and a KOH catalyst concentration of 0.74 wt.% resulted in a 96% biodiesel yield with a concomitant decrease in viscosity, density, and TAN of approximately 95%, 5.12%, and 90.02%, respectively. According to the results of the breakthrough kinetic calculations, the reaction is pseudo-second order, with the activation energy, frequency factor, and reaction rate constant being 0.23 M−1 min−1, 18.77 kJ/mol, and 6.32 M−1 min−1, respectively. The fuel properties of the produced biodiesel and bio-petro-diesel blends were good, comparable to international standards and the marketed Egyptian petro-diesel.

Deciphering the application efficacy of titanium dioxide mediated calcareous nanocatalyst towards biodiesel production

The current investigation delved into the mechanistic insight, and cost-competent application of CaO-derived nanocataysts doped with TiO2 for enhanced biodiesel synthesis from castor oil. Calcium oxide-laden nanocatalysts were prepared via co-precipitation methodology with varying precursor and calcination temperatures concentrations. The engineered catalysts underwent characterization using XRD, SEM, particle size analysis, FTIR, EDX, UV-spectroscopy, and zeta potential measurements. Response surface methodology was implemented to create an experimental matrix for the transesterification. With methanol: oil ratio of 12:1, 5% catalyst weight, 2.25 h reaction interval, and a temperature of 60 °C, the utmost biodiesel yield achieved was 94.27%. Furthermore, the ester-enriched biodiesel was confirmed through GC-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and FTIR analyses. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies revealed the endothermic and irreversible nature of the transesterification reaction. The fuel characteristics of the synthesized castor oil biodiesel are within acceptable ranges. The co-precipitation-derived nano TiO2@CaO catalyst validated impressive catalytic efficacy and stability, making it a proficient heterogeneous catalyst for augmented biodiesel manufacturing from castor oil. The projected expenses for 1 kg TiO2@CaO catalyst and 1 L COBD, obtained from cost assessments, were $ 6.37 and $ 0.578, respectively, showcasing their strong economic feasibility. Lastly, the study also offered future outlooks based on recognized gaps in the reported studies across a contemporary bibliometric investigation.

Preparation of biodiesel by transesterification of castor oil catalyzed by flaky halloysite supported ZnO/SnO2 heterojunction photocatalyst

Biodiesel belongs to renewable energy and is a potential substitute for petrochemical diesel. In this study, ZnO/SnO2@halloysite heterojunction photocatalyst was prepared by loading semiconductor zinc oxide and tin dioxide on layered kaolin by the improved wet calcination method, which was used to photocatalytic the transesterification of castor oil and ethanol to produce biodiesel. TG-DTG, BET, XRD, UV–vis and SEM-EDS were used to characterize the composition, specific surface area, light absorption characteristics and photocatalytic performance of the samples. The reaction conditions were optimized by the Taguchi method. The optimum reaction conditions were as follows: catalyst dosage 4 wt%, molar ratio of ethanol to oil 12:1, reaction temperature 75 °C. After 2 h, the yield of biodiesel was 96.75 %. In the study of catalyst reusability, the yield of biodiesel is still above 85 % after being reused for 5 times. The kinetics of photocatalytic transesterification was studied, and the results accorded with quasi-first-order kinetics. The activation energy was 75.02 kJ/mol. Lastly, an eight-step reaction mechanism of photocatalytic transesterification was proposed. The prepared castor oil biodiesel can be prepared into B20 biodiesel through additives or mixing to meet ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards.

A clean route of biodiesel production using red mud-based potassium catalyst

In our work, a low-cost and high-efficiency red mud-based potassium composite (KRM) was successfully synthesized via solid-state method using red mud (RM) and potassium carbonate (K2CO3) as material, and then was applied to produce castor oil biodiesel through transesterification. The preparation conditions of red mud-based potassium composite were optimized. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-Ray diffractometer (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Hammett method and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The maximum conversion from castor oil to biodiesel (94.52%) was acquired with methanol to oil molar ratio 18:1, catalyst dosage 5 wt%, reaction temperature 65 °C and reaction time 2.5 h. According to the thermo-kinetic results, the castor oil transesterification catalyzed by KRM catalyst was a first-order kinetics reaction and was not an exothermic and spontaneous reaction pathway. Particularly, the characterization results indicated that the brightly textural properties (small particle size, high basicity, high surface area and pore volume) were favorable factors for the high catalytic activity of KRM catalyst. The KRM catalyst showed excellent reusability after four cycles. Besides, turnover frequency (TOF), green parameter of transesterification process and cost analysis demonstrated that the transesterification process catalyzed by the high-efficiency KRM catalyst possessed green reaction pathway and the composite catalyst of KRM could effectively reduce the cost of biodiesel production.

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF CASTOR OIL AND DIESEL OIL MIXTURES IN A 4-STROKE COMPRESSION COMBUSTION ENGINES

The production of hydrocarbon fuels shows a downward trend which forces people to look for alternative renewable fuels such as biodiesel from vegetable oil. One solution that can be applied in the use of biodiesel mixed with castor oil. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using a mixture of castor oil on the performance of diesel engines. The method used in this experiment is testing it directly on a diesel engine. Experiments were carried out on machines with a load of up to 4000 watts by mixing pure diesel fuel with castor oil to produce biodiesel B10, B20, and B30 as fuel. The results showed that the use of castor oil biodiesel tends to be lower than diesel oil, the torque produced by B20 17,59 N.m is greater than diesel oil, and the thermal efficiency of B20 17,04 % and SFC B20 is 470,2 gr/kWh more economical than diesel oil. B20 provides better performance values foe diesel engines and this is the right solution to be an alternative fuel other than diesel oil.

Catalytic Conversion of Castor Oil into Biodiesel by Tri-organotin(IV) Catalysts: Chromatographic and Spectroscopic Characterization with Theoretical Support

Economic concern over fossil fuel reserves, extensive increase in CO2 emission, and change in the world climate due to the combustion of carbon sources have been driving the attention of both commercial and academic researchers towards new sustainable fuel routes to encounter rapidly growing worldwide population demands. In the present study, we have focused on catalytic transesterification towards the environmentally friendly biodiesel synthesis which is low cost, easily implemented and best alternative source of fossil fuels. Herein three triorganotin(IV) carboxylates derivatives namely trimethylstannyl cyclopentanecarboxylate, tributylstannyl cyclopentanecarboxylate and triphenylstannyl cyclopentanecarboxylate were resynthesized according to our reported procedure and theoretically investigated through DFT by applying LANL2DZ as functional with B3LYP basis set (level of theory) to calculate Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP) to determine electrophilic center of complexes and Lewis acidity. Owing to the Lewis acid character, the synthesized complexes were then used as catalysts in the transesterification reaction of castor oil. Different reaction parameters were also optimized to obtain maximum biodiesel yield. Synthesized castor oil biodiesel (COB) was characterized and confirmed by employing multitude spectroscopic techniques. The present study evaluated that these complexes can be potential candidates for biodiesel conversion from non-edible and cheap feedstock.

Experimental and theoretical assessment of phenomena linked with separation and purification of biodiesel from Ricinus communis seed oil

This study investigated the phenomena associated with the separation and purification of biodiesel produced from Ricinus communis oil seeds using experimental and theoretical approaches. The alkaline transesterification technique was used to produce the biodiesel from the Ricinus communis oil seeds which were later compared with standards based on EN and ASTM. Experimental investigation of the components in the mixture for separation and purification was conducted using the standard turbidimetric method for binodal solubility and tie-line compositions. The gas chromatographic technique was used to determine the composition of the homogeneous mixture. Novel components separation and purification of the Ricinus communis seed oil biodiesel was achieved using ternary diagrams highlighting the constituent components of the biodiesel at different temperatures for enhanced separation and purification. At the coexisting extract and raffinate phases, the orientation angle of the component compositions increases as the methanol concentration increases and temperature increases. The analysis of seed oil in terms of its physicochemical properties showed density, refractive index, acid value, and free fatty acid values of 905 kg/m3, 1.486, 0.79 mg KOH/g, and 0.390 mg KOH/g respectively. The fatty acid composition of the seed oil and biodiesel revealed that the major characteristics of the oil and biodiesel were defined by the presence of linoleic acid (C18:2) and a ricinoleic acid hydroxyl group (C18:1, OH) with compositions of approximately 30% and 20% respectively. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectrometry analysis of the oil and biodiesel showed that the absorption spectrum in terms of the wave number (cm−1) ranged from 1000 to 4000 cm−1 with esters as the main functional group providing the main structural backbone. The presence of different fatty acids leads to lateral homogeneity of the biodiesel molecules which can serve to organize the molecules into discrete domains with different properties for enhanced separation and purification at the investigated temperatures. Optimal separation and purification were achieved at the different temperatures showing the castor oil biodiesel, glycerol, and methanol components system at the prevailing composition, time, and temperatures from the tie-lines and binodal solubility compositions. This approach provides a means for the design of a more efficient separation process for optimal biodiesel purification after production with knowledge of how the components are distributed in the ternary mixture after the transesterification reaction. This, leads to greater efficiency of the process, reducing material and operational costs and eliminating environmental issues linked with the biodiesel production process as the volume of wastewater generated would be hugely eradicated. The findings of this study will be useful in the setting up of a small-to-medium-size biodiesel production facility with improvement in the efficiency of product separation and purification.

Study Comparing the Tribological Behavior of Cottonseed and Castor Oil Biodiesel Blended Lubricant under varying Load Conditions

Abstract: We have an increasing global need for bio lubricants that are safe for human and environmental use, easily biodegradable, and non-polluting. The friction and wear qualities of cotton seed blended lubricant as well as castor blended lubricant are compared and contrasted in this research using a Pin on disc wear testing Tribometer. In this research, we will look at the study's results and analyse their significance. Blended lubricants were created by combining cotton seed & castor based biodiesel with the basic lubricant SAE20W40 at volumetric ratios of 5, 10, 15, & 20%. Cotton seed and castor blended bio lubricants were tested for friction and wear at sliding velocities of 2.5 metres per second while subjected to weights of 50 N, 100 N, and 150 N. Wear might be slowed by as much as 15 percent by mixing in cotton seed biodiesel with the base oil, as has been shown. When this threshold is passed, wear increases at an ever-increasing pace. Castor oil blended lubricant performed best in wear tests when coupled with a base lubricant at a 5 and 10 percent castor oil blended lubricant concentration. The wear rate was accelerated when 15 percent castor oil was added to the basic lubricant. It has been discovered that at lowest and maximum load, CBL 5 and CBL 10 may serve as an alternative lubricant to increase mechanical efficiency at a sliding velocity of 2.5 metres per second. Because of their efforts, less need has been seen to lessen dependence on petroleum-based goods.

The Influence of Physio-Chemical Parameters of Castor oil (Biodiesel) as an Additive in Diesel-Ethanol (Diesohol) Blends at 303 K

The Influence of Physio-Chemical Parameters of Castor oil (Biodiesel) as an Additive in Diesel-Ethanol (Diesohol) Blends at 303 K

Numerical and Experimental Spray Analysis of Castor and Jatropha Biodiesel under Non-Evaporating Conditions

Fuel spray characteristics influence combustion, which in turn has a direct impact on engine performance and emissions. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in novel castor oil biodiesel. However, few investigations have been performed that combine both numerical and experimental biodiesel spray analyses. Hence, in this paper, we aim to explore the spray behavior of castor and jatropha biodiesel by employing numerical and experimental methods under non-evaporating, varying injection, and ambient conditions. The experimental study was carried out in a control volume vessel (CVV) at high injection and ambient pressures. The fuel atomization was modelled in ANSYS Fluent using a Lagrangian/Eulerian multiphase formulation. The results revealed that the Kelvin–Helmholtz and Rayleigh–Taylor (KHRT) model coupled with the Taylor Analogy Breakup (TAB) model provide a better estimation of the penetration length (PL) and spray cone angle (SCA) compared to the KH and TAB models. On average, Jatropha biodiesel (JB-20) and castor biodiesel (CB-20) showed a 10% to 22% longer PL, 8% to 10.6% narrower spray cone angles, and 3% to 6% less spray area, respectively, compared to diesel. The numerical predictions showed that JB-20 and CB-20 had an around 24.7–48.3% larger Sauter mean diameter (SMD) and a 38.6–73.3% average mean diameter (AMD).

Synthesis, characterization and application of a novel carbon-doped mix metal oxide catalyst for production of castor oil biodiesel

A novel carbon-doped CaO–MgO catalyst had been successfully synthesized via co-precipitation method, and was utilized for the production of castor oil biodiesel through the transesterification of oil with methanol. The conditions of carbon-doped CaO–MgO catalyst preparation were optimized, and the optimal preparation parameters were as follows: urea amount of 6 wt%, calcium/magnesium molar ratio of 1:1, calcination temperature of 800 °C and calcination time of 5 h. The TGA, XRD, SEM, EDS, Basicity, BET and XPS were used for the characterization of prepared catalyst. The effects of transesterification reaction parameters on biodiesel production have been investigated, and the conversion ratio of 91.1% was achieved under the optimal conditions: methanol to oil molar ratio of 21:1, catalyst dosage of 8 wt%, reaction temperature of 70 °C and reaction time of 4 h. Meanwhile, the kinetics and thermodynamics studies indicated that the transesterification of castor oil followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics and was a non-spontaneous, endothermic reaction. Furthermore, the characterization analysis results showed that the excellent catalytic activity of composite catalyst was due to the textural property, the basicity of composite and the doped carbon in the prepared catalyst. Meanwhile, the possible reaction mechanism involved in the transesterification catalyzed by carbon-doped CaO–MgO catalyst was presented. The results of turnover frequency, environmental factor and process mass index showed that the transesterification of castor oil to synthesize biodiesel catalyzed by the prepared efficient catalyst possessed the distinct characteristic of environmentally friendly process.

Mussel shell based CaO nano-catalyst doped with praseodymium to enhance biodiesel production from castor oil

This research presents the preparation and application of mussel shell based CaO doped with praseodymium as catalysts labelled as 3, 5, 7, 9 & 11 wt% for biodiesel production through transesterification reaction from castor oil. Pr-CaO catalysts were synthesized successfully using wet chemistry route and further used as a stable, active, and low-cost heterogeneous catalyst for environmentally benign and green biodiesel production through transesterification of castor oil and methanol. The characterization of catalysts was done using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM micrographs depicted the flower like morphology of 7 % Pr doped catalyst with an average crystallite size of < 16 nm and thermal stability below 900 °C. Catalyst testing was done according to ASTM standards for castor oil biodiesel production and found to be within specifications. The obtained catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity for biodiesel production through transesterification of castor oil and methanol. A fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield of 87.42 % was obtained through 7 % Pr-CaO mixed oxide catalyst at optimum reaction conditions (i.e., 2.5 wt% catalyst, methanol to oil ratio of 8:1 and 65 °C) while the yield of FAME obtained through undoped, calcined CaO was about 80 %.

The Influence of Nanoparticle Additive on the Thermophysical Properties of Bionanolubricant Using Castor Oil

Lubricants are commonly used in machining and energy system to reduce friction and wear within moving parts and aid in the transfer of heat. The use of lubricants enhances the overall performance and operation life of systems. Synthetic lubricants commonly used are non-biodegradable and are harmful to aquatic and land habitats. To overcome these challenges, biolubricants from vegetable and animal sources were considered as an alternative to synthetic and mineral lubricants. In this study, the esterification and transesterification processes were used to produce biolubricant from castor oil. Methanol and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) were used as alcohol and catalyst respectively for the acid catalysed esterification while ethylene glycol and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were used for the transesterification process. The average biodiesel yield was 99.87%. The two-step method was deployed in the preparation of the castor nanobiolubricant. The nanobiolubricants were prepared using aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles of 20 – 30 nm nominal diameter. The volume concentrations of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% were used in the preparation of the nanobiolubricants. The results showed that the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles into the castor oil biodiesel altered the thermophysical properties (density, dynamic viscosity, pH, acidity, free fatty acid (FFA), flash point, and cold properties) of the biolubricants. The addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles reduced the acidity, flash point, and pH value of biolubricant while the cold flow property was improved. The dynamic viscosity decreased with an increase in temperature and increased as the nanoparticle concentration increased. The results were compared with the thermophysical properties of mineral oil, and from these analyses, Al2O3 nanobiolubricant can be successfully deployed as an alternative to synthetic and mineral lubricants in machining and energy systems. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-Vis analyses were conducted on the castor oil, its biolubricant, and nanobiolubricants.

Biodiesel production with enhanced fuel properties via appropriation of non-edible oil mixture using conjoint ultrasound and microwave reactor: Process optimization and kinetic studies

Current study investigates a novel simultaneous application of microwave and ultrasound irradiation (MW + US) via appropriation of raw castor oil (RCO) and waste cooking oil (WCO) blends for transesterification aiming on process optimization, reaction kinetics, and energy analysis. Applying Box-Behnken design, effect of process variables viz., methanol/oil ratio, KOH loading, reaction time, and blended oil ratio of RCO + WCO on biodiesel production was analyzed. First time, blended oil ratio as a process variable is studied and found to be most significant variable. The optimized conditions observed were methanol/oil ratio: 8.42:1, KOH loading: 0.52 w/w%, reaction time: 9.04 min, and blended oil ratio RCOWCO: 61RCO39WCO with experimental and predicted yield of 93.12 ± 0.24% and 92.81% respectively. First-time reaction kinetics study performed on RCO + WCO blended oils exhibited that reaction follows pseudo−1st-order kinetic with 2.5 times lower activation energy as compared to mechanical stirring process. Conjoint technique showed better energy dissipation with significantly reduced specific energy consumption. The physicochemical properties of RCOWCO biodiesel were found comparable to gasoline-diesel and international biodiesel standards. In comparison to castor oil biodiesel, blended oil biodiesel physicochemical properties improved significantly (esp. calorific value improved by 6–12%) and can be used as a renewable fuel to blend with petro-diesel.

Combustion and physical properties of blends of military jet fuel JP-5 with fifteen different methyl ester biodiesels synthesized from edible and nonedible oils

This study investigates the physical properties and combustion behavior of blends of military jet fuel JP-5 with biodiesels synthesized from methanol, potassium hydroxide, and 13 plant oils (avocado, canola, castor, coconut, corn grapeseed, linseed, neem, olive, palm, peanut, soybean, and walnuts), bacon grease, and duck fat. The biodiesels were analyzed using gas chromatography(GC)/mass spectrometry(MS) and GC/flame ionization detection(FID). The main components found were methyl esters with 13 to 18 carbon atoms, agreeing with previously reported compositions. Biodiesel densities ranged from 875.3 to 929.3 kg·m−3 at 15 °C, many exceeding the maximum allowable U. S. Naval diesel fuel density of 876 kg·m−3. Biodiesel viscosities ranged from 3.05 to 15.8 at mm2·s−1 at 40 °C, half of which were higher than the maximum allowable military diesel viscosity of 4.3 mm2·s−1. All biodiesel flash points were higher than the military diesel minimum requirement of 60 °C, and all the biodiesel derived cetane numbers where greater than the minimum of 42, except for castor oil, which had a DCN of 41.2. Surface tensions ranged from 28.6 to 32.4 mN·m−1, which were higher than the 26.0 mN·m−1 measured for JP-5. The bulk moduli ranged from 1678 to 2039 MPa, which were higher than the 1444 MPa for JP-5. Combustion experiments in a Yanmar diesel engine were conducted with JP-5, castor, soy, corn, coconut and palm oil biodiesels and 20% and 50% mixtures of the biodiesels in JP-5. The ignition delay (IGD) of the neat fuels decreased (shortened) as the DCN of the fuel increased. The maximum rate of heat release was highest for the castor oil and lowest for palm oil. The peak pressure location was similar for the biodiesels, except for castor oil biodiesel, which had later combustion phasing. There was only a modest increase in the thermal efficiencies of the biodiesels as compared to JP-5. Most mixtures of JP-5 and biodiesel had IGDs, maximum rates of heat release, and peak pressures that fell between the value for pure biodiesel and that of JP-5. Overall, the mixture of 20% biodiesel with JP-5 will have minimal impact on the combustion characteristics in a diesel engine.

Experimental and numerical investigation of adding castor methyl ester and alumina nanoparticles on performance and emissions of a diesel engine

Diesel engine characteristics investigated numerically and experimentally while adding different concentrations of alumina Nano particle to the castor oil biodiesel. Experimental work conducted on single cylinder diesel engine taking into account different conditions of load. The Russian diesel-rk software is used to perform the numerical part. Three doses of Al2O3 are added to 20% CME biodiesel starting from 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm. Numerically it is observed that adding 25 ppm Al2O3 to 20% CME reduced BSFC by 16.66% while it was 14.86% in the experimental results. The hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) are reduced significantly compared to the case of 20%CME biodiesel. The experimental findings showed that with 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm of Al2O3 to biodiesel (20%CME), the opacity of smoke are decreased by 5.2%, 12%, and 17.0%. Maximum reduction in NOX is obtained for 25 ppm Al2O3 where 11% is recorded followed by 4.89% and 4.32% in case of 50 ppm and 100 ppm respectively. Best concentration of Nano addition is 25 ppm since no noticeable change is captured beyond (25) ppm for all parameters under scope. The numerical results are validated with experimental findings as well as with the results of other researchers.

Performance, combustion and emission analysis of castor oil biodiesel blends enriched with nanoadditives and hydrogen fuel using CI engine

An experimental study has been performed to determine the effects of biodiesel blends and hydrogen in the compression ignition engine. The series of test conducted in the water-cooled, single cylinder and constant speed engine at various loading condition. Throughout the entire process, the hydrogen was included at the constant fraction of 25% along with the biodiesel blended castor oil. In addition to the hydrogen and blends, the nanoparticles were added at the concentration of 25 ppm and 50 ppm to ensure higher combustion and reduced emissions. Experimental study revealed addition of the hydrogen increases the combustion performance of the CI engine by reporting superior brake thermal efficiency. Further, the brake specific fuel consumption and the exhaust gas temperature of the test samples were drastically improved due to the presence of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Increasing the concentration of the nanoparticles effectively enhanced the brake thermal efficiency and reduced the emission of pollutants such as CO, CO2 and HC. Nevertheless, there is a marginal decrease in NOx observed at 75% engine load condition for the castor oil without nanoparticles. On the whole, addition of the hydrogen improved both combustion and emission rate, which is mainly due to the absence of the carbon atoms due to the increase in the hydrogen content in the fuel.

A Study on Performance and Emission Characteristics of Diesel Engine Using Ricinus Communis (Castor Oil) Ethyl Esters

Countries globally are focusing on alternative fuels to reduce the environmental pollution. An example is biodiesel fuel, which is leading the way to other technologies. In this research, the methyl esters of castor oil were prepared using a two-step transesterification process. The respective properties of the castor oil (Ricinus Communis) biodiesel were estimated using ASTM standards. The effect of performance and emission on diesel engines was noted for four various engine loads (25, 50, 75, and 100%), with two different blends (B5 and B20) and at two different engine speeds (1500 and 2000 rpm). The study determined that B5 and B20 samples at 1500 rpm engine speed obtained the same power, but diesel fuel generated greater control. The power increased at 2000 rpm for B5 samples, but B20 samples, as well as diesel, were almost the same values. In the 40–80% range, load and load values were entirely parallel for each load observed from the engine performance of the brake power in all samples.

Preparation of Biodiesel from Castor Oil and Performance Evaluation in VCR Engine

Biodiesel can be used as Alternative fuel and acts as Renewable energy source. Rapid growth in industrialization of developing countries is resulting in increasing demand for new and eco-friendly energy sources. In this present research biodiesel was prepared from Castor oil by esterification and Transesterification process. The castor oil biodiesel produced was blended with diesel to obtain B10.Performance evaluation was carried out in VCR engine and emission testing was done by Gas analyzer to know the percentage of CO,HC, NOX and comparison study was done with diesel and biodiesel blend. In this study it was found that NOx emission rate of biodiesel blend increases while percentage of CO, HC increases. Also various performance indicators such as break mean effective pressure, specific fuel consumption; break thermal efficiency was plotted with respect to variation of load by using VCR engine.

Assessing and Comparing the Characteristics of CI Engine Powered by Biodiesel–Diesel and Biodiesel–Kerosene Blends

This study investigates and compares the combustion, performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fueled with nine different fuels (i.e., diesel, biodiesel–diesel blends, and biodiesel–kerosene blends. Blends of biodiesel with diesel and kerosene are taken as typical values of 10%, 20%, and 30% (CD10, CD20, CD30, CK10, CK20, and CK30). Biodiesel fuel is made from castor oil by transesterification method. Test fuels are used for uni-cylinder, DI diesel engine running at a speed of 2000 rpm and several engine loads (i.e., 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%). Results indicate that the pressure in the cylinder using diesel–biodiesel blends is slightly higher than this conducted to kerosene blends. Both kerosene–biodiesel and diesel–biodiesel blends record values of peak pressure lower than those of pure diesel at all rated engine loads. At the same time, peak pressures of diesel–biodiesel blends are higher than those for kerosene–biodiesel blends by marginal values. On the other hand, a significant decrease in NOx levels was noticed in the case of CK30 recording 20% compared to pure diesel, while CD20 recorded an increase in emissions levels by 19.5% compared to pure diesel. The BSFC and BTE have been observed to be close for both kerosene–biodiesel and diesel–biodiesel blends. This research recommends using kerosene as a base of blending (by 70% kerosene and 30% biodiesel) instead of diesel-not just as an additive, especially in the case of high viscous biodiesel such as castor oil biodiesel in this case.