Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 773-774

Abstract: This study investigated the effect of types of storage container used to store biodiesel blend (B5) under different storage duration and environment. The biodiesel samples were stored in plastic and glass container under indoor condition with exposure to fluorescent light for 12 weeks. These samples were monitored and the properties tests were recorded for weekly basis. The effects of storage conditions on properties of biodiesel, experimental testing on density, viscosity, acid value, water content and flash point were discussed in detail. Analysis of this study showed that different storage duration, condition and container used gave a significant effect toward the changes of water content, acid value and viscosity. Sample stored in a glass container under indoor without being exposed to any form of light condition recorded the best quality while sample stored in a plastic container under outdoor condition had the worst quality. A long period of storage would decrease the quality of biodiesel due to exposure to direct sunlight, oxidization between ambient oxygen and double bond biodiesel, hydrolysis process between the ambient air and methyl ester and condensation within the storage tank.

Abstract: Biodiesel is the alternate fuel which is derived from renewable sources either is vegetable oils or animal fats. Biodiesel is non-toxic, have higher biodegradability, free of sulphur, no aromatics and its oxygen content of about 10-11% which is usually not contained in diesel fuel. These characteristics thus predominantly influences to the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) in the exhaust gas. Purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of fuel additive, oil palm blended fuel, engine speed and test load conditions on the exhaust emissions and engine performance. The engine speed was varied from 1500 to 3000 rpm, load test condition varied by dynapack chassis dynamometer in 0, 50 and 100% and blends of 5(B5), 10(B10) and 15vol%(B15) palm oil with the diesel fuel. Increased of blends ratio with same mixing booster quantity can improve the engine performance, combustion process and give less CO emission. However, this condition tends to produce high NOx production due to higher oxygenated fuel in biodiesel content.

Abstract: Jatropha Oil (JPO) is an alternative fuel proposed to be used especially for renewable sources and energy efficiency. Its characteristics need further investigation particularly for the use in an external burner system. The aim of this research is to investigate experimentally the spray characteristics of Jatropha oil in premixing injector for burner system. The Jatropha oil was blended with diesel at different ratio; JPO5, JPO10, and JPO15 at water content of W0, W5, W10 and W15. Fuel, water and air are injected in premix injector, causing the spray of these mixtures to produce lower toxic emission during combustion process. The spray angle, spray penetration length and spray area of different fuel-water ratio and equivalent ratio shall be analyzed from images captured using direct photography method with a DSLR camera. The result of the spray image will be further analyzed and compared between the different batches of image captured. It is shown that the effect of equivalent ratio and water content in fuel-water mixtures will give a significant effect on spray characteristics. Addition of water content will increases the viscosity of the mixtures, hence it increases the spray penetration length, spray area and reduce the spray angle.

Abstract: s: Diesel fuel injection is the most dominant in ignition process of the diesel engines combustion. Diesel engines have been widely used in heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles due to their higher fuel economy, efficient and powerful than spark ignition (SI) engines. The principal objective of this research is to seek the effect of temperature and pressure on the spray characteristics, as well as fuel-air mixing characteristics. Experiments were performed in a constant volume chamber at specified ambient gas temperature and pressure. This research was continued with injecting diesel fuel into the chamber using a Bosch common rail system. Direct photography technique with a digital camera was used to clarify the real images of mixture formation such as spray penetration, fuel evaporation and spray interference. The liquid phase of the spray reaches a maximum penetration distance soon after the start of injection, while the vapour phase of the spray continues to penetrate downstream. The condition to which the fuel is affected was estimated by combining information on the wall chamber temperature, ambient temperature and photographs of the spray. The increases in ambient pressure inside the chamber resulting in gain of spray area and wider spray angle. Thus predominantly promotes for a better fuel-air premixing.

Abstract: This paper presents a schlieren optical visualization technique and its application in observation of the changes of intensity in real images. Schlieren optical visualization technique system is the unique technique because it produces a neutral image easily-interpretable image of refractive-index-gradient fields. The schlieren technique remains to be one of the most powerful techniques to visualize the flow and useful as a tool in order to observe the flow characteristics, fuel-air mixing, spray evaporation and flame development. The schlieren system provides a method to viewing the flow through the transparent media. This paper present the basics technique of schlieren system especially for Z-type and two mirror schlieren system. This optical visualization photography together with digital video camera will capture the detail spray evaporation, mixture formation and flame process.

Abstract: Microbial fuel cell (MFC) represents a new method for producing electricity from the oxidation of organic matter. In addition, MFC offers an effective wastewater treatment. The feasibility of using POME wastewater as a substrate was investigated through a two-chambered MFC operated in batch mode for 12 days. The performance of MFC was evaluated under three different anode pH microenvironments of acidic (pH 4), neutral (pH 7) and alkaline (pH 8). Results of experiments indicated that the MFC reactor was able to generate electricity and treat POME wastewater that acted as substrate for MFC. The performance of MFC was found to be dependent on the anode pH microenvironments. Higher power density was observed at neutral condition compared to acidic and alkaline conditions. Furthermore, significant reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) in anode chambers were found due to the changes of pH in anode microenvironment. This indicated that effective wastewater treatment of POME in MFC batch experiments. In conclusion, MFC provides an alternative, sustainability and effective method to generate electricity and effectively treat wastewater.

Abstract: Fuel-air mixing is important process in diesel combustion which significantly affects the combustion and emission of diesel engine. Due to the nature of biomass fuel that has high viscosity and high distillation temperature, the condition and furthermore the improvement of atomization process is very important. This study investigates the atomization characteristics and droplet dynamic behaviors of diesel engine spray fueled by rapeseed oil (RO). Optical observation of RO spray was carried out using shadowgraph photography technique. Single nanospark photography technique was used to study the characteristics of the rapeseed oil spray while dual nanospark shadowgraph technique was used to study the spray droplet behavior. Using in-house image processing algorithm, the images were processed and the boundary condition of RO spray also was studied. The results show that RO has very poor atomization due to the high viscosity nature of the fuel. This is in agreement with the results from spray droplet dynamic behavior studies that shows due to the high viscosity, the droplets are large in size and travel downward, with very little influence of entrainment effect due to its large kinematic energy.

Abstract: Concern shortage and limited of petroleum, bio-fuels or also known as alternative fuel offer an advantage in order to sustain in long terms and economical. This renewable source is a good offer as an improvement attempt of automobile fuel and burner combustion. The main issue in using biodegradable alternative fuel such as vegetable oil-based fuels is oxidation stability, stoichiometric point, bio-fuel composition, antioxidants on the degradation and much oxygen with comparing to diesel gas oil. Thus, this study investigated the effects of different kind of biodegradable alternative fuel tested at variant in storage ambient condition under different storage duration. These tests were performed on the biodegradable alternative fuel such crude palm oil (CPO), and waste cooking oil (WCO) with different of ambient temperature and variant of blending ratio. The biodegradable fuel samples were stored in clinical compartment, at different temperatures and were monitored at regular interval over a period of 60 days. Blending of biodiesel was varied from 5vol% ~ 15vol% and storage temperature from 5°C~33°C. The effects of ambient temperature and storage duration on properties of biodegradable fuel such as density, kinematics viscosity, acid value, water content and flash point of biodiesel were discussed in detail. Analysis of this study showed that the different storage duration gave a significant effect toward the changes of water content; acid value and viscosity. As a conclusion, a long period of storage would decrease the quality of biodiesel no matter what kind of condition and environment is exposed to.

Abstract: The prospects of fossil oil resources and strengthen of future emission regulation have raised keen attention together with the issue of renewable alternative fuel. As one of the different solutions to these problems, emulsion fuel technology in biodiesel has received close attention because it may provide better combustion efficiency and would contribute to a reduction in emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NO_x) or particulate matter (PM).The solution of this issue is by using Biodiesel fuel as an alternative fuel from waste cooking oil (WCO), crude palm oil (CPO) and Jatropha Oil (JPO). In addition, Waste cooking oil is one of the most economical options for producing biodiesel due to the biodegradable properties and preserves energy. This study focuses on the observation of ignition and combustion characteristics of biodiesel-water-air rapid mixing of biodegradable fuel using internally rapid mixing injector in burner combustion. In this research, the relation of mixture formation, burning process and flame development of biodiesel were investigated in detail. The parameters include equivalent ratio, water content and mixture formation are studied. The flame development is analysed in term of flame longest for testing. The result shows that equivalent ratio and water content affect the combustion. Increasingly of water content will reduce the flame length and increase the probability of misfire.

Abstract: Schlieren optical visualization technique system is the unique technique due to the ability in producing a neutral image easily-interpretable image of refractive-index-gradient areas. The Schlieren system provides a method for viewing the flow through the transparent media and the most using this technique is to photograph the flow. This paper presents the review of the application of the Schlieren optical visualization system external and internal combustion engine in order to observe the fuel-air mixing and flame development during the burning process. The basic technique of Schlieren system, especially for Z-type and two mirror Schlieren system provide a powerful and clearly image to visualize the changes of the density in a transparent medium. This method can capture spray evaporation, spray interference and mixture formation clearly with real images. Analysis of optical image visualization observations reveals that the mixture formation of fuel and air exhibits the influence of the ignition and flame development. Thus, the observation of systematic control of the creation of a mixture of experimental apparatus allows us to achieve significant progress in the combustion process and will present the information to understanding the basic terms of reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.