RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research ELAEIS Special Issue, November 1995, p. 79-91

Investigation On Palm Oil Diesel Emulsion As Fuel Extender For Diesel Engine

MASJUKI, H*; ABDULMUIN, M Z*; SII, H S*

ABSTRACT

Results of performance, exhaust emissions and lube oil analysis of diesel engine fuelled with Malaysian palm oil diesel (POD) and ordinary diesel (OD) emulsions containing 5% and 10% of water by volume are compared with those obtained when 100%o POD and OD fuel were used. Very promising results have been obtained. Neither the lower cetane number of palm oil diesel fuel nor its emulsification with water presented obstacle to the operation of diesel engine during steady state engine tests and the twenty-hour endurance tests. Polymerization and carbon deposits on fuel injector nozzles were monitored. Engine performance and fuel consumption for POD and its emulsions are comparable with those of OD fuel. Accumulations of wear metal debris in crank-case oil samples were lower with POD and emulsified fuels compared with baseline OD fuel, both OD and POD emulsions with 10% water by volume show promising tendency for wear resistance. The exhaust emissions for POD and the emulsified fuels are found to be much cleaner, containing less CO, CO2 and hydrocarbon (HC); the absence of black smoke from the exhaust is an advantage. Theoretical aspects of diesel combustion are used to aid the interpretation of the observed engine behaviour.

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* Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai,
59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia