Using Blends of Jatropha Methyl Easter as Alternative Fuel: An Experimental Investigation for a Diesel Engine

Abstract

Energy is a basic requirement for every sector of economic development in a country. As a result, energy demands have been steadily increasing along with the growth of human population and industrialization. Common sources of energy are petroleum, natural gas and coal from fossil fuels. This growing consumption of energy has rapidly depleted non-renewable sources of energy. Biodiesel is one of the most promising alternative fuels for diesel engines. The demand of biodiesel has significantly increased from 2005 in all over the world. Biodiesel is defined as a fuel comprising of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oil or animal fat. Direct use of vegetable oils and animal fats as combustible fuel is not suitable due to their high kinematic viscosity and low volatility. Furthermore, its long term use posed serious problems such as deposition, ring sticking and injector chocking in engine. Therefore, vegetable oils and animal fats must be subjected to chemical reaction such as transesterifacation to reduce the viscosity of oils. In that reaction, triglycerides are converted into fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), in the presence of short chain alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, and a catalyst, such as alkali or acid, with glycerol as a by- product.