Abstract:
Due to gradual depletion of world petroleum reserves and the impact of environmental pollution of increasing exhaust emissions of Carbon and Hydrogen with small proportion of Sulphur and Nitrogen, there is an urgent need for suitable alternative fuels for use in diesel engines. In view of this, vegetable oil is a promising alternative because it is renewable and environment friendly. The recent trend is attempted to develop biodiesel from Jatropha oil and investigates the effects of SiO2 nanoparticles on the rheological properties of Jatropha Biodiesel. The crude Jatropha oil was purified, trans-esterified and nanoparticles were dispersed in the trans-esterified oil with concentration ranging from 0.25% to 1.0% in 0.25% interval. Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR) was used to examine the structures of the samples, the Viscosity, Pour point, Boiling point and the Flash point were studied. It was found out among other things that small amount of (0.25% SiO2) nanoparticles in the trans-esterified oil could improve the rheological properties of the fluid. The Nano-fluid with 0.25% concentration of SiO2 appears to have optimum rheological property.
Description:
Vegetable oils are obtained from oil containing seeds, fruits, or nuts by different pressing methods or solvent extraction. Crude oils obtained are subjected to a number of refining processes, both physical and chemical. Biodiesel is produced from various sources of edible and non-edible oils such as Jatropha oil, Castor oil, Olive oil, Soybean oil, and Palm oil throughout the world. Other advantages that encourage the use of vegetable oils include their relatively low viscosity-temperature variation; that is their high viscosity indices, which are about twice those of mineral oils
