Ricinus Communis (Castor Oil) methyl ester as a natural additive for biodiesel fuels

ÖZCANLI M., SERİN H., AYDIN K., SERİN S.

ENERGY EDUCATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PART A-ENERGY SCIENCE AND RESEARCH, cilt.27, sa.2, ss.331-336, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

Özet

In this study, Ricinus Communis methyl ester (RCME) was evaluated as a natural additive in order to improve the cetane number and cold flow specifications of different biodiesel fuels. In the production of RCME, methanol was used as alcohol and sodium hydroxide was used as catalyst and RCME was produced via the transesterification method. Fuel specifications of RCME such as density, kinematic viscosity, flash point, cetane number, copper strip corrosion, pour point and calorific value were determined. It is found that RCME has higher cetane number (81.1) and lower pour point (-30 degrees C) than the other biodiesels. Because of its high viscosity (12.64 cSt), the direct use of RCME was determined unsuitable for compression ignition engines according to ASTM standards. For this reason, RCME was evaluated as an additive for alternative diesel fuels. Therefore blends with common biodiesel fuels (rapeseed, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower and palm biodiesels) were prepared with a content of 20% RCME. Fuel property results of different biodiesel fuels-RCME blends showed that Ricinus Communis Methyl Ester is an effective additive for rapeseed and soybean biodiesel fuels to improve cetane number and cold flow characteristics.

In this study, Ricinus Communis methyl ester (RCME) was evaluated as a natural additive in order to improve the cetane number and cold flow specifications of different biodiesel fuels. In the production of RCME, methanol was used as alcohol and sodium hydroxide was used as catalyst and RCME was produced via the transesterification method. Fuel specifications of RCME such as density, kinematic viscosity, flash point, cetane number, copper strip corrosion, pour point and calorific value were determined. It is found that RCME has higher cetane number (81.1) and lower pour point (-30 degrees C) than the other biodiesels. Because of its high viscosity (12.64 cSt), the direct use of RCME was determined unsuitable for compression ignition engines according to ASTM standards. For this reason, RCME was evaluated as an additive for alternative diesel fuels. Therefore blends with common biodiesel fuels (rapeseed, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower and palm biodiesels) were prepared with a content of 20% RCME. Fuel property results of different biodiesel fuels-RCME blends showed that Ricinus Communis Methyl Ester is an effective additive for rapeseed and soybean biodiesel fuels to improve cetane number and cold flow characteristics.