Combustion Characteristics of Biodiesel Derived from Palm and Rapeseed Oil

Abstract:

The chemical composition of palm and rapeseed biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester, FAME) was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Combustion characteristics of biodiesel were studied by thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry and collision theory. Combustion characteristic index C was put forward for describing biodiesel combustion characteristic. The reactive atom combustion mechanism was put forward. Biodiesel combustion process comprised three steps, viz., volatilizing, dissociating and combining. First, biodiesel volatilizes, viz., FAME (liquid) volatilize and became FAME (gas). Second, FAME, O₂ and N₂ molecular were dissociated into C^*, H^*, O^* and N^* reactive atoms. Third, C^*, H^* and N^* reacted, respectively, with O^* to CO₂, CO, H₂O and NO_x, and released energy. The study showed that the biodiesel was mainly composed of FAME: C_14:0-C_24:0, C_16:1-C_22:1, C_18:2 and C_18:3. Biodiesel had a good burnability. Combustion characteristic indexes of palm methyl ester (PME) and rapeseed methyl ester (RME) were 4.97E-05 and 3.65E-05, respectively. The combustion characteristic had relation to chemical composition. The combustion characteristic of biodiesel was better with increasing saturated fatty acid methyl esters and length of carbon-chain, and was poorer with increasing unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters and unsaturated degree. The combustion characteristic of PME was better than that of RME.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 448-453)
• Pages: 1633-1636
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.448-453.1633
• Online since: October 2013
• Authors: Xiu Chen*, Lei Chen, Yin Nan Yuan, Yong Bin Lai, Xing Qiao, Ling Ling Cai
• Keywords: Bio-Diesel, Combustion Characteristic, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Thermo-Gravimetry (TG)

References

[1] Y. N. Yuan, T. Zhang, D. Q. Mei, et al: Transactions of CSICE Vol 25(2007) , P. 43.

[2] X. C. Lu, J. J. Ma, L. B. Ji, et al: Energy & Fuels Vol 21(2007), P. 3144.

[3] Y. Lin, Y. G. Wu, C. T. Chang: Fuel Vol 86(2007), P. 1772.

[4] P. K. Sahoo, L. M. Das: Fuel Vol 88(2009), P. 994.

[5] X. Lang, A. K. Dalai, N. N. Bakhshi, et al: Bioresource Technology Vol 80 (2001), P. 53.

[6] J. W. Goodrum,: Biomass and Bioenergy Vol 22(2002), P. 205.

[7] A. G. D. Santos, A. S. Araujo, V. P. S. Caldeira, et al: Thermochemical Acta Vol 506 (2010), P. 57.

[8] M. M. Conceição, R. A. Candeia, F. C. Silva, et al: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Vol 11(2007) , P. 964.

[9] Q. H. Nie, S. Z. Sun, Z. Q. Li, et al. Journal of Combustion Science and Technology Vol 7(2001), P. 72.

[10] Y. R. Luo: Handbook of bond dissociation energies, 1nd ed., Science, Beijing, China. (2005).