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Title: Renewable synthetic diesel fuel from triglycerides and organic waste materials

Conference · · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5666970

A renewable, synthetic diesel fuel has been developed that employs ethanol and organic waste materials. These organic materials, such as soybean oil or animal fats, are hydrolized to yield a mixture of solid soap like materials and glycerol. These soaps, now soluble in ethanol, are blended with ethanol; the glycerol is nitrated and added as well as castor oil when necessary. The synthetic fuel is tailored to match petroleum diesel fuel in viscosity, lubricity and cetane quality and, therefore, does not require any engine modifications. Testing in a laboratory engine and in a production Oldsmobile Cutlass has revealed that this synthetic fuel is superior to petroleum diesel fuel in vehicle efficiency, cetane quality, combustion noise, cold start characteristics, exhaust odor and emissions. Performance characteristics are indistinguishable from those of petroleum diesel fuel. These soaps are added to improve the calorific value, lubricity and cetane quality of the ethanol. The glycerol from the hydrolysis process is nitrated and added to the ethanol as an additional cetane quality improver. Caster oil is added to the fuel when necessary to match the viscosity and lubricity of petroleum diesel fuel as well as to act as a corrosion inhibitor, thereby, precluding any engine modifications. The cetane quality of the synthetic fuel is better than that of petroleum diesel as the fuel carries its own oxygen. The synthetic fuel is also completely miscible with petroleum diesel.

Research Organization:
Combustion and Fuel Research, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI
OSTI ID:
5666970
Report Number(s):
CONF-860425-
Journal Information:
Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States), Vol. 31:1; Conference: 191. American Chemical Society national meeting, New York, NY, USA, 13 Apr 1986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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