You are on page 1of 5

CHAPTER 5

MATERIALS

5.1 PURE DIESEL

Diesel fuel is produced from various sources, the most common being
petroleum. Others include biomass, animal fats, biogas, natural gas and coal.

Diesel fuel in general is any liquid fuel used in diesel engines, whose fuel
ignition takes place, without spark, as a result of compression of the inlet air
mixture and then injection of fuel. Glow plugs help achieve high temperatures for
combustion during engine startup in cold weather. Diesel engines have found broad
use as a result of higher thermodynamic and thus fuel efficiencies.

The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of


petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as
biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being
developed and adopted. To distinguish these types, petroleum derived diesel is
increasingly called petro diesel.

a. Origins

Diesel fuel originated from experiments conducted by German scientist and


inventor Rudolf diesel for his compression ignition engine he invented in1892.
Diesel originally designed his engine to use coal dust as fuel, and experimented
with other fuels including vegetable oils, such as peanut oil, which was used to
power the engines which be exhibited at the 1900 Paris exposition and the 1911
world’s fair in Paris.

23
5.2 RAW XXXXXX OIL

Vegetable oils have good ignition quality since they are not branched and
have very long molecular chains. Certain functional groups and the poor volatility
could be responsible for their low cetane numbers. The heating value of vegetable
oils is somewhat lower due to oxygen content, and viscosity and carbon residue are
higher than diesel due to their larger molecular mass and chemical structure. The
flash point of these oils is much higher than that of diesel, indicating that they are
much safer to store than diesel oil. They are about than diesel. Their cold point is
higher, indicating problems of thickening or even freezing at low ambient
temperatures. It is evident that vegetable oils are much less volatile than diesel.
This makes their slow evaporation when injected into the engine.

5.3 METHANOL
Methanol fuel has been proposed as future biofuel, often as an alternative to
the hydrogen fuel economy. Methanol has a long history as a racing fuel. Early
grand Prix racing used blended xxxxxx pure methanol. The use of the fuel was
primarily used in North America after the war. However, methanol for racing
purposes has largely been based on methanol produced from syngas derived from
natural gas and therefore this methanol would not be considered as a bio-fuel.
Methanol is a possible bio-fuel, however when the syngas is derived from biomass.
Methanol can also be produced from the carbon dioxide and hydrogen using any
renewable energy sources, although this is not likely to be economically viable on
an industrial scale.

Methanol combustion:

2CH3OH+3O2→2CO2+4H2O+Heat

24
5.4 CATALYST

Catalysis is the increase in the rate of a chemical reaction due to the


participation of an additional substance called a catalyst.

a. Sodium hydroxide:

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as lye and caustic soda, is an


inorganic compound. It is a white solid and highly caustic metallic base and alkali
salt which is available in pellets, flakes, granules, and as prepared solutions at a
number of different concentrations. Sodium hydroxide forms an approximately
50% (by weight) saturated solution with water.

Sodium hydroxide is soluble in water, ethanol and methanol. This alkali is


deliquescent and readily absorbs moisture and carbon dioxide in air.

Sodium hydroxide is used in many industries, mostly as a strong chemical


base in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, and soaps and
detergents and as a drain cleaner.

b. Physical properties:

Pure sodium hydroxide is a whitish solid, sold in pellets, flakes, and granular
form, as well as in solution. It is highly soluble in water, with a lower solubility in
ethanol and methanol, but is insoluble in ether and other non-polar solvents.

Similar to the hydration of sulfuric acid, dissolution of solid sodium


hydroxide in water is a highly exothermic reaction in which a large amount of heat
is liberated, posing a threat to safety through the possibility of splashing. The

25
resulting solution is usually colorless and odorless with slippery feeling upon
contact in common with other alkalis.

c. Esterification and transesterification reagent:

Sodium hydroxide is traditionally used in soap making (cold process soap,


saponification). It was made in the nineteenth century for a hard surface rather than
liquid product because it was easier to store and transport.

For the manufacture of biodiesel, sodium hydroxide is used as a catalyst for


the transesterification of methanol and triglycerides. This only works with
anhydrous sodium hydroxide, because combined with water the fat would turn into
soap, which would be tainted with methanol. NaOH is used more often than
potassium hydroxide because it is cheaper and a smaller quantity is needed.

Sodium hydroxide is also being used experimentally in a new technology to create


synthetic gasoline.

d.Uses:

Sodium hydroxide is a popular strong base used in the industry. Around 56%
of sodium hydroxide produced is used by the industry, 25% of which is used in
paper industry. Sodium hydroxide is also used in manufacturing of sodium salts
and detergents, pH regulation, and organic synthesis.

Sodium hydroxide is used in many scenarios where it is desirable to increase


the alkalinity of a mixture, or to neutralize acids.

26
5.5 ETHANOL
Ethanol is already being used extensively as a fuel additive and the use of
ethanol fuel alone or as a part of a mix with petroleum products is increasing.
Compared to methanol its primary advantage is that it is less corrosive and
additionally the fuel is non-toxic, although the fuel will produce some toxic exhaust
emissions.

Ethanol combustion:

C2H5OH+3O2→2CO2+3H2O+Heat

27

You might also like