Development of Empirical Models for Predicting Cold Flow Properties of Biodiesel Blends

Abstract

Biofuel is promising alternative to maintain both human health and environment quality better by reducing harmful emission from biof uel runs diesel eng ines. Though biodiesel satisfy the ASTM and EN limits, it cannot be used alone in diesel engine due to its high kinematic viscosity and density and also lower oxidati on stability and heating value; high viscosity and density and poor cold - flow properties compared to mineral diesel fuel. To improve those properties, it is blended with diesel. The blending of biodiesel with mineral diesel is the most common method for overcoming low temperature flow problems in biodiesel and improving their properties due to their similar characteristics. The properties of biodiesel blends is based on the composition of blend, and the estimation of various properties of biodiesel blends is required for process design and for combustion characteristics in diesel engine. In the present work empirical models have been developed for t he prediction of cloud point of three types of biodiesel (Jatropha, Karanja and Palm) and its blend with diesel.