PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES CHARACTERISTICS OF JATROPHA CURCAS BIODIESEL AND ITS BLENDS WITH TETRACHLOROETHYLENE ADDITION

Abstract

The mono-alkyl esters of vegetable oils and animal fats are an alternative diesel fuel that is steadily gaining attention and significance named as
biodiesel. This paper deals the experimental investigations in addition of the tetrachloroethylene as additive on the biodiesel. The change of
physiochemical properties is studied. The properties of the base fuel and the modified fuel formed by dispersing the additive particles are measured
using ASTM standard test methods.
The effects of the tetrachloroethylene additive on the individual fuel properties, like Flash point, Cloud point, Pour point, Kinematic Viscosity, Total
Acid Number, copper strip corrosion are studied, and the dosing level of the additive is optimized. Comparisons of the base fuel with petro-diesel
and modified fuel is also presented. The cold temperature properties of biodiesel decreases significantly, due to addition of tetrachloroethylene. The
viscosity of the biodiesel was found to decrease with the addition of tetrachloroethylene. While Copper strip corrosion test and TAN value does not
show any significant variation, due to addition of tetrachloroethylene as additive. The flash point of biodiesel, which is an indication of the volatility
increase after addition but their changes are not, too much significant.