Optimization of FAME composition for improved engine performance and emissions reduction

Abstract

Continuous application of biodiesel as an alternative fuel for compression ignition (CI) engines has necessitated the need to unearth an optimal mix to enhance engine performance and mitigated emissions. This particular work employed a numerical approach to solve linear equations generated for biodiesel properties using fatty acid (FA) composition for the determination of an optimal fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) candidate. Transesterification of waste vegetable oil employed to experimentally produce the FAME candidate generated through numerical intervention. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis of the resulting FAME revealed that the type of used vegetable oil, the food the oil was used to fry and catalyst particle size influenced the FA composition of the FAME. Numerical evaluation of the objective function and the constraints yielded a FAME candidate with palmitic and oleic acids at 36.4% and 59.8%, respectively. The outcome of this research indicates that two FA compositions are enough to describe optimized FAME candidate for better engine performance and reduced emissions of an unmodified CI engine.