| dc.contributor.author | Allen, Cecil A. W. | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-10-21T12:36:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 1998 | |
| dc.date.issued | 1998 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.other | AAINQ31516 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10222/55534 | |
| dc.description | Biodiesel fuels are the acyl esters of triglycerides that originate from vegetable or animal sources. The most common of these are the vegetable oil methyl ester (VOME) biodiesel fuels. These oils are from renewable sources and have great potential as fuels for the compression ignition engine. | en_US |
| dc.description | The relationship between the fatty acid composition of the VOME, their viscosity and surface tension, and their atomization characteristics were investigated in this study. Models for predicting the viscosity and surface tension were established by considering biodiesel fuels as being mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). The mixture equation for viscosity predicted the fuel's viscosity within 3.5% on average of the measured values. Surface tension was also predicted within 3.5% on average. These mixture equations were developed and verified using controlled mixtures of gas chromatography injection standards. | en_US |
| dc.description | Atomization characteristics of five VOME biodiesels were measured using a Malvern Laser Diffraction Droplet Analyzer. These characteristics were compared with each other and with diesel #2 fuel, and were correlated with surface tension and viscosity. Regression models for atomization were developed with viscosity and surface tension as independent variables; all other parameters being held constant. The model for predicting the Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD) had an accuracy of approximately 0.8 $\mu$m on average. The parameters of this model were related to dimensional parameters developed using dimensional analyses. The droplet distribution of all the VOMEs was found to follow a Rosin-Rammler distribution model and regression models to predict the two parameters of this model were also developed. | en_US |
| dc.description | The viscosity, surface tension and atomization characteristics of 15 common oils/fats were predicted using their fatty acid compositions taken from the literature. It was found that most of the oils had similar atomization characteristics because they contained mainly C18 unsaturated fatty acids. In general, it was found that oils containing mainly fatty acids with carbon numbers less than or equal to C14 had good atomization characteristics (less than 15% higher SMD) that were statistically similar to diesel fuel. Oils with mainly C18 unsaturates had moderate atomization characteristics (up to 25% higher SMD) compared to diesel fuel. Oils with mainly saturated fatty acids with carbon numbers greater than or equal to C16 had poorer atomization characteristics (greater than 25% higher SMD) compared with diesel fuel. | en_US |
| dc.description | Thesis (Ph.D.)--DalTech - Dalhousie University (Canada), 1998. | en_US |
| dc.language | eng | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Dalhousie University | en_US |
| dc.publisher | | en_US |
| dc.subject | Engineering, Agricultural. | en_US |
| dc.subject | Engineering, Environmental. | en_US |
| dc.subject | Energy. | en_US |
| dc.title | Prediction of biodiesel fuel atomization characteristics based on measured properties. | en_US |
| dc.type | text | en_US |
| dc.contributor.degree | Ph.D. | en_US |
