Use of vegetable oils as fuels for diesel engines with specific reference to rubber seed oil

Abstract

This paper considers the use of rubber seed oil (RSO) as a diesel fuel substitute/extender for diesel engines. Experiments were conducted using RSO as a fuel in diesel engines. The physical and chemical properties of RSO were measured. High viscosity in one important difference between this material and diesel oil. Processes were investigated to reduce the viscosity, in particular a transesterfication process was studied. The effect of viscosity and surface tension on characteristics of sprays from injectors was studied in order to identify differences between RSO and diesel oil. The results of these experiments help to explain the observed differences in engine performance between the two fuels