Investigation of fuel properties, motor performances and exhaust emissions of biodiesels used by different alcohols and catalysts in production

In this study, biodiesel was produced from black mustard oil which obtained from black mustard (Brassica nigra L.) seed using different alcohols and different catalysts by transesterification method. Prior to the production, polynomial regression mathematical model supported optimization studies were performed to ensure optimum biodiesel yield using process parameters such as catalyst ratio, alcohol content, reaction temperature and reaction time. While biodiesel was obtained in the optimization studies with methanol and ethanol under desired conditions, no separation of ester and glycerol was observed in the studies with iso-propanol, butanol, and pentanol. In the next stage, the physicochemical properties of the attained fuels were determined. Then, the engine performance and exhaust emission values were detected testing these fuels in a diesel engine. As a result, the highest biodiesel yield was found to be as 97.335% under the weight of KOH of 0.4% and weight of methanol of 20.39%, reaction temperature of 57.1oC and reaction time of 54.1 min. When the measured fuel properties were taken into consideration, they were observed to meet the standards in general. In the engine tests, the highest mean effective engine torque and effective engine power were lower by in the order of 8.25% and 7.3% than those of petrodiesel, mean effective specific fuel consumption was higher up to the ratio of 12.97%. In comparison with the ED, EGT values of biodiesel fuels were appeared higher, while the mean emission values of CO, HC and SO2 were observed lower, and the average emission values of CO2 and NOX were found to be high except for NaOHEB.