Prediction of Density of Fatty Acid Alkyl Esters (Biodiesel) by Various Group - Contribution Methods

Abstract

Biodiesel is a promising alternative for petro - diesel fuel. Density of biodiesel (Fatty acid alkyl esters or FAAEs) plays an important role in the fuel injection in a diesel engine and is also an important parameter for correlating cetane number, viscosity and heating value of a liquid fuel. Methods for the prediction of density of various types of biodiesel are required. Various versions of Group contribution methods GCVOL have been developed a nd used for the prediction of density of FAAEs. In the present study, density of seven fatty acid methyl esters and three fattyacid ethyl esters was predicted by using three versions of GCVOL methods (GCVOL - Elbro, GCVOL - Ihmels, GCVOL - Pratas). Total 152 dat a points for the experimental values of density of FAMEs and FAEEs were used to find the best method for the prediction of density of FAAE. GCVOL - Elbrogave percentage overall relative deviation of 8.53 for FAMEs and 5.25 for FAEEs and hence this method is being proposed as the best group contribution method for the prediction of density of FAAEs.