Page 182 - Biofuels Refining and Performance

Chapter
6

Processing of Vegetable Oils

as Biodiesel and Engine
Performance

Ahindra Nag

6.1 Introduction
Processing of vegetable oils as biodiesel [1, 2] and its engine perform-
ance is very challenging. From an environmental point of view, diesel
engines are a major source of air pollution. Exhaust gases from diesel
engines contain oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, organic compounds
consisting of unburned or partially burned hydrocarbons and particu-
late matter (consisting primarily of soot).
Interest in clean burning fuels is growing worldwide, and reduction
in exhaust emissions from diesel engines is of utmost importance. It is
widely recognized that alternative diesel fuels produced from vegetable
oils and animal fats can reduce exhaust emissions from compression
ignition (CI) engines, without significantly affecting engine perform-
ance. But reducing pollutant emissions from diesel engines requires a
detailed knowledge of the combustion process. However, the complex
nature of the combustion process in an engine makes it difficult to
understand the events occurring in the combustion chamber that deter-
mine the emission of exhaust gases.
Dr. Rudolf Diesel [3], the inventor of the CI engine, used peanut oil
in one of his engines for a demonstration at the Paris exhibition in 1900.
Then there was considerable interest in the use of vegetable oils as fuel
in diesel engines.

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