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Biodiesel, as an alternative fuel, has gained wide interest in recent years. However, despite the countless benefits, the enormous generation of glycerol-waste and higher production costs have been causing severe challenges to both the environment and the biodiesel economy's survival. With the focus on maintaining its sustainability, the proper valorization of the crude glycerol is of vital importance. The objective of the present study is to harness and transform glycerol (a by-product of biodiesel) to triacetin and utilize it further as a fuel additive for spark ignition (SI) engine. Triacetin is a valuable compound of bio-based origin, having good anti-knock properties and higher oxygen content. Test fuels containing different blends of gasoline, methanol and triacetin were prepared and compared with neat gasoline. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based multi-objective technique was selected to optimize the engine output parameters like BTE, CO, CO2, HC and NOx emissions. The results indicate that the engine operating at 1.17 kW brake power and containing 90.73% gasoline, 4.94% methanol and 4.31% triacetin (by vol.) were found to be the optimum input parameter combinations which shows maximum BTE and lowest engine exhaust emissions as compared to other fuel blends. The estimated economic analysis of small-scale plants was also carried out, revealing that about 4.2% of revenue per kg of triacetin selling can be generated by running biodiesel and triacetin production analogously. Among various alternatives probed, the acetylation of glycerol to triacetin appears to be the ideal solution. It can serve the multiple purposes of reducing vehicular emission and improving the economic viability of burgeoning biodiesel industries and creating new opportunities, livelihoods, and jobs for humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass-based fuels are gaining importance for operating a compression ignition engine as they can curb greenhouse gases and are a key for addressing the energy security. Hydrotreated oil is considered to be a potential drop-in fuel for the compression ignition engine as its cetane number is higher than fossil diesel. In this study, hydrotreated waste cooking oil and its blends (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% by volume) with diesel were prepared. The ignition probability of the test fuel samples was found using a hot-plate test setup. The neat hydrotreated fuel has higher ignition probability at a particular temperature than the other test fuels. The Sauter mean diameter of the test fuels was also observed using a Malvern Spraytec test setup. The results reveal that the neat hydrotreated fuel has higher Sauter mean diameter due to its high viscosity. As the percentage of the hydrotreated fuel in the blend decreases, the Sauter mean diameter decreases and diesel has the lowest Sauter mean diameter. The test fuels were also used to run a compression ignition engine. The results reveal a decrease in brake thermal efficiency with the increase in the hydrotreated fuel share in the blend. The heat release for the blends starts earlier than diesel and the peak heat release is also lower than diesel. The HC, CO and smoke emissions for the test blends decreases up to 30% blend. When the percentage of the hydrotreated oil is further increased, the emissions starts increasing. The NO emissions were lower than diesel for all the test samples. As compared to diesel, the maximum reduction in NO (neat), HC (30% blend), CO (30% blend) and smoke emissions (30% blend) is 23.2%, 14.4%, 13.83% and 13.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years there has been a significant rise in crude glycerol generation due to the booming biodiesel industries. Despite having immense benefits, the presence of poisonous methanol and fatty acids, glycerol is treated as a waste by‐product of biodiesel. In the present study, investigations have been carried out on utilizing the potential of glycerol derived bio‐propanol as an extender fuel with diesel/gasoline blends. Test fuels containing ternary blends of diesel/gasoline/bio‐propanol in different volume concentrations were prepared. The crude glycerol was procured from transesterified Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) oil. The physicochemical properties, along with stability and homogeneity of the test fuels were evaluated as per ASTM/EN standards and compared with the neat diesel. To study the effect of fuel properties on atomization process, the sauter mean diameter of the test fuels were observed using Malvern spraytec test. The engine performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a single‐cylinder diesel engine fuelled with different test fuels were also conducted. Due to the enhancement in mixing rate promoted by low cetane fuels, the ignition delay and heat release rate was higher than diesel. Moreover, the results also reveal upto 5% increase in brake thermal efficiency and a significant reduction in harmful exhaust emission with an increase in the gasoline and bio‐propanol share in the blend. The oxide of nitrogen (NOx) emissions was also lower than diesel for all the fuel blends. In comparison to diesel, the maximum reduction in NOx, HC, CO and smoke emissions is 7.4%, 33.3%, 55.7%, and 17.2%, respectively, for D40:G30:P30 fuel blend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amalgamation of nanoparticles with the conventional/alternative fuels is an attractive approach which can enhance the working characteristics of CI engines. The critical issues such as stability, clogging, increased NOx, and high consumption rate attached with the long-term usage of diesel/biodiesel and with their blends restricts their usage as a potential substitute in the diesel engine. This review work emphasizes the research economy on utilizing the application of different metal oxide, magnetic, carbon and hybridized based nano-materials as a fuel-borne additive. Nano fuel comprises a micro-sized particle ranging from 1 to 100nm in size doped inside the base fluid (diesel/biodiesel) using the process of ultrasonication. The nano fuel has a higher surface to volume ratio, and enhanced heat and mass transfer properties act as a catalyst, improves the combustion process and the performance characteristics such as thermal efficiency, specific fuel consumptions of the diesel engine. Based on the outcome collected from the previously published work, it has been concluded that mixing of nanoadditives has a significant effect on the engine parameters. The review also highlights that the improvement in the injection timing, enhancement in the physicochemical properties and cold flow properties such as viscosity, calorific value, flash point, fire point is also noted depending on the dosage of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]