Rapeseed oil as diesel fuel, an overview
- Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States)
For more than a decade, Idaho researchers have been evaluating the potential of vegetable based fuels as a diesel substitute. The investigations began by using unmodified vegetable oils in diesel engines, then progressed to the use of modified vegetable oil through the transesterification process. The fuel production process was identified, developed, optimized, evaluated and improved. The oilseeds used for the process are from several cultivars of rapeseed developed by Idaho workers and grown locally. At first, the main focus of fuel evaluation was on rapeseed methyl ester (RME), for which off-road engine tests have been done, including: (a) short term tests on a stationary tractor engine; (b) fuel performance tests on small stationary engines; (c) endurance engine tests (1,000 hours duration); (d) durability testing of engines; (e) combustion modeling of the fuel (KIVA) using the Cray supercomputer at Los Alamos National Lab.; and (f) fuel utilization in tractors used in normal farm operations. The engine tests indicate that RME is a suitable substitute for diesel fuel. In recent months, the process of transforming rapeseed oil into a suitable fuel has been upgraded and modified. A simpler and shorter transesterification process has been developed and identified. The process uses ethanol as the other main ingredient. The washing phase has also been redesigned. Ethanol is a {open_quotes}better{close_quotes} alcohol compared to methanol because the former is derived from agricultural products, is a renewable fuel, and is relatively harmless to the environment.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 140206
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP--200-5768-Vol.2; CONF-9308106--Vol.2; ON: DE94000435
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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