Ethanol-in-palm oil/diesel microemulsion-based biofuel: Phase behavior, viscosity, and droplet size

Arpornpong, N; Attaphong, C; Charoensaeng, A; Sabatini, DA; Khaodhiar, S

HERO ID

4585086

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2014

HERO ID 4585086
In Press No
Year 2014
Title Ethanol-in-palm oil/diesel microemulsion-based biofuel: Phase behavior, viscosity, and droplet size
Authors Arpornpong, N; Attaphong, C; Charoensaeng, A; Sabatini, DA; Khaodhiar, S
Journal Fuel
Volume 132
Page Numbers 101-106
Abstract Increased environmental awareness and depletion of resources are driving industry to develop viable fuels from renewable resources. Vegetable oils are one alternative being considered for the production of renewable fuels. Surfactant reverse micelle microemulsions can be used as an alternative method for reducing high viscosities of vegetable oil without chemical wastes generated from the transesterification reaction. The objective of this research is to study the effects of surfactant saturation, unsaturation, and ethylene oxide groups on the phase behavior, kinematic viscosity, and microemulsion-droplet size with the goal of formulating optimized surfactant based biofuel. Four nonionic surfactants, stearyl alcohol (saturated), oleyl alcohol (unsaturated), methyl oleate (unsaturated with ester group), and Brij-010 (EO groups), were investigated in this research. It was found that the presence of methyl oleate unsaturated surfactant can greatly reduce the bulk viscosity and produce uniformly size of microemulsion droplets while use the least amount of surfactant for solubilizing ethanol-in-oil in the system. Thus, these results show that reverse micelle microemulsion can produce biofuels with desirable viscosity and fuel properties as compared to diesel. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Doi 10.1016/j.fuel.2014.04.068
Wosid WOS:000336669500014
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override 4585086
Is Public Yes
Keyword Reverse micelle microemulsion; Phase behavior; Viscosity; Droplet size; Biofuel