Evaluation of the performance and emission and spectroscopic analysis of an improved soy methyl ester

SME with MO at higher blended percentages was used in the emission performance test in an advance developed CRDI engine without any engine modification.

A comparison of spray and combustion characteristics of biodiesel (soy methyl ester, rapeseed methyl ester) with diesel

Physical properties are known to play a pivotal role in the different characteristics of spray, combustion, and emission between diesel and biodiesel. This paper reports the development and application of physical properties of diesel and biodiesel for fuel spray and combustion modeling under various conditions. An integrated numerical model has been developed based on the General Transport Equation Analysis code. The effect of turbulence in the nozzle was considered by the hybrid breakup model in the simulation, and the skeletal mechanism of diesel surrogate fuel and biodiesel surrogate fuel was used to simulate fuel oxidation. The results indicated that liquid lengths and droplet sizes are always higher for biodiesel because of its bigger surface tension and worse vaporization characteristics caused by higher critical temperature and lower vapor pressure. This phenomenon has strong influence on fuel evaporation process and results in slow evaporation rate, and this is not helpful for the mixture preparation process. The effects of ambient density, ambient temperature, and oxygen concentration on ignition delay and lift-off length of diesel and biodiesel are also analyzed and discussed. This analysis revealed that longer ignition delay usually results in longer lift-off length and biodiesel always has longer ignition delay and lift-off length compared to diesel. The flame propagation was observed to be similar for both fuels. In addition, diesel and biodiesel were employed to simulate the combustion and emission characteristics of a low-temperature combustion engine. The different combustion and NO x emission characteristics between diesel and biodiesel were observed, and the different physical properties may be the reason for these discrepancies.

Combustion Characteristics of Biofuels in Porous-Media Burners at an Equivalence Ratio of 0.8

Biofuels, such as canola methyl ester (CME) and soy-methyl ester (SME) derived from vegetable oil, are alternative sources of energy that have been developed to reduce the dependence on petroleum-based fuels. In the present study, CME, SME, and commercial Jet-A fuel were tested in a porous-media burner at an equivalence ratio of 0.8 at the burner entrance. The measured combustion characteristics included NOx and CO emission indices, radiative fraction of heat release, and axial temperature profile in the surface stabilized and extended flame. The effects of fuel on the injector and porous-media durability were also documented. The NOx emission index was higher for the SME and CME flames than that of the Jet-A flame. Furthermore, the axial temperature profiles were similar for all the flames. The prolonged use of CME and SME resulted in more solid-particle deposition on the interior walls of the injector and within the structure of the porous medium than for Jet-A fuel, thereby increasing the restriction to the fuel/air flow and pressure drop across the burner.

Can Soy Methyl Esters Improve Concrete Pavement Joint Durability?

Although many concrete pavements provide excellent long-term performance, some pavements (primarily in the Midwest) have shown premature deterioration at the joints. This premature deterioration is a concern because such deterioration can shorten the life of pavements that are otherwise functioning well. Previous work has hypothesized that these joints may be susceptible to preferential fluid saturation, which can lead to freeze–thaw damage or chemical degradation. This work examines the use of soy methyl ester–polystyrene (SME-PS) blends as a method to reduce the rate of fluid ingress into the pore system of the concrete and thereby make the concrete more resistant to deterioration. SME-PS is derived from soybeans and has demonstrated an ability to reduce fluid absorption in concrete when used as a topical treatment. A series of experiments was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of various dosage rates of SME-PS for increasing concrete durability at pavement joints. The experiments show that SME-PS reduces fluid ingress, salt ingress, and the potential for freeze–thaw damage. As a result of the positive experimental results, the Indiana Department of Transportation is conducting field trials that use SME-PS on concrete pavements that are beginning to show signs of premature deterioration with the expectation that SME-PS will extend the life of the joints and thereby reduce maintenance cost and extend the life of concrete pavements.