Winter rape oil fuel for diesel engines: Recovery and utilization

Abstract

Although vegetable oil cannot yet be recommended as a fuel for general use, considerable progress in recovery and use of rapeseed oil (Brassica napus L.) for diesel operation has been made. Operation of a small‐scale screwpress plant (40 kg/hr) was demonstrated. Maintenance of screw and end rings was a major problem. The plant has operated with a recovery efficiency of 77% and has processed 10,100 kg of seed in 230 hr. High viscosity of the rapeseed oil and its tendency to polymerize within the cylinder were major chemical and physical problems encountered. Attempts to reduce the viscosity of the vegetable oil by preheating the fuel were not successful in sufficiently increasing the temperature of the fuel at the injector to be of value. Short‐term engine performance with vegetable oils as a fuel in any proportion show power output and fuel consumption to be equivalent to the diesel‐fueled engines. Severe engine damage occurred in a very short time period in tests of maximum power with varying engine rpm. Additional torque tests with all blends need to be conducted. A blend of 70/30 winter rape and No. 1 diesel has been used successfully to power a small single‐cylinder diesel engine for 850 hr. No adverse wear, effect on lubricating oil or effect on power output were noted.

Transesterification of vegetable oils: a review

“…Due to their high viscosity (about 11 to 17 times higher than diesel fuel) and low volatility, they do not burn completely and form deposits in the fuel injector of diesel engines. Furthermore, acrolein (a highly toxic substance) is formed through thermal decomposition of glycerol 32,[83][84][85][86][87] . Different ways have been considered to reduce the high viscosity of vegetable oils:…”

00/00868 Biodiesel production: a review

“…Two severe problems associated with the use of vegetable oils as fuels were oil deterioration and incomplete combustion (Peterson et al, 1983). Polyunsaturated fatty acids were very susceptible to polymerization and gum formation caused by oxidation during storage or by complex oxidative and thermal polymerization at the higher temperature and pressure of combustion.…”

“…The gum did not combust completely, resulting in carbon deposits and lubricating oil thickening. Winter rapeseed oil as a diesel fuel was studied because of the high yield and oil content (45%) of winter rapeseed and the high (46.7%) erucic acid content of the oil (Peterson et al, 1983). The rate of gum formation of winter rapeseed oil was ®ve times slower than that of high linoleic (75±85%) oil.…”

Physiochemical and Phase Behaviour Study of Jatropha curcus Oil - Ethanol Microemulsion Fuels Using Sorbitane Fatty Esters

“…Therefore, vegetable oils have emerged as an alternative renewable source of green fuels globally [1][2][3]. Vegetable oils such as soybean, peanut, sunflower, rape, coconut, karanj, neem, cotton, mustard, jatropha, linseed and caster have shown a performance quite comparable to diesel fuels [4][5][6][7].…”