Page 363 - Advances in Eco-Fuels for a Sustainable Environment

318 Advances in Eco-Fuels for a Sustainable Environment

Four balls and the oil cup were cleaned with acetone solvent and wiped using tissue
paper before starting the experiment. Then, approximately 10mL of test fuel was
poured into the oil cup to cover the three balls completely. The test was conducted
at a constant speed of 1200rpm with 70kg of the load for 3600s. After accomplish-
ment of the test, three balls were collected and cleaned with solvent to investigate the
wear scar diameter and surface morphology of worn surfaces using an optical micro-
scope and scanning electron microscope.
The friction torque of the test fuel was measured by a recording device connected to
the calibrated arm. The coefficient of friction was calculated using the following
equation
p ffiffiffi
T 6
Coefficient of torque μðÞ ¼ (11.7)
3Wr
where, T, frictional torque, Nm; W, load applied, N; r, distance from the center of the
contact surface of the bottom three balls to the axis of rotation, (3.67mm); μ, coeffi-
cient of friction.
The flash temperature parameter (FTP) is a single number used to indicate the crit-
ical flash temperature of the test fuel at which the lubricating film gets to break down.
The FTP of tested fuel was calculated using the given formula

W
FTP ¼ (11.8)
d 1:4
where d, mean wear scar diameter of the balls, mm; W, applied load, kg.

11.3 Results and discussion

11.3.1 Infrared spectra of AMC biodiesel
The fatty acid methyl ester composition of biodiesel was determined using Gas Chro-
matography (GC) and Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. FTIR method give some
advantages over GC like time consumption is less, cheap and sample preparation
required not required for determination of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester.
In the AMC biodiesel FTIR spectra (Fig. 11.2), the region in the range of
678.55–960 cm 1 represents ]CdH functional groups. Functional groups ]CdH
are unsaturated and represent olefinic esters (alkenes) such as methyl oleate and methyl
linoleate in biodiesel. The methylene (–(CH 2 )n-) functional group in biodiesel was
1
represented in spectra by a particular peak at 721.72cm . The presence of the
methylene functional group in the biodiesel FTIR spectra indicates a long-chain ali-
phatic structure was present. In biodiesel, the existence of CdO, CdOdC, and
OdCH 3 functional groups was represented by an extending peak found in region
1
1016.44–1361.08cm . Methyl group of CdH existence in biodiesel was confirmed
1
by band region of 1370.23–1450.03cm and a peak nearer to 1600 was an indication
of the C]C functional group present in biodiesel. Carbonyl functional groups C]O