Assessment of the Viability of Vegetable Oil Based Fuels

Abstract

This paper provides results of extensive trials using a 50/50 blend of unheated vegetable oil and diesel fuel in an unmodified vehicle on roads in Victoria, Australia. The work was inspired by the success of an on-road trial using 100% waste vegetable oil in 2004 and positive indications in the literature. As well as being a sustainable alternative fuel, vegetable oil has the added safety advantage of having a much higher flash point than any other. Constant routes were used analogous in-part, to using prescribed drive cycles. Results were logged and bar-charts comparing fuel consumption for various fuel blends are presented. There was no clearly discernible difference (within the uncertainty of the measured data) in fuel consumption between the 50/50 blend and diesel fuel.