Diesel combustion characteristics of palm oil 2-butyl ester

Abstract

In order to improve the pour point of palm oil biodiesel, palm oil 2-butyl ester (P2BE) was made from palm oil and 2-butanol by transesterification. As a result, the pour point of P2BE is -2.5 °C and it is lower than that of palm oil isobutyl ester (PiBE), 0 °C. The combustion characteristics and exhaust emissions of P2BE were investigated using a DI diesel engine, and were compared with that of palm oil 1-butyl ester (PBE), palm oil methyl ester (PME) and JIS No.2 diesel fuel (gas oil). The thermal efficiency of P2BE is almost the same as that of the other test fuels. Although the HC, CO and Smoke emissions of P2BE are slightly higher than that of PiBE, PBE and PME, these are lower than that of gas oil. It is concluded that P2BE is a good alternative diesel fuel.