Physical and chemical evaluation of the use of diesel composite fuel based on ricinic oil and bioethanol as fuel for diesel power plant

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to evaluate physical and chemical properties of mixtures based on ricinic oil and bioethanol, followed by determining the optimal concentrations of elements and the processing method. The study used methods for calculating the physical and chemical parameters of complex multicomponent mixtures with subsequent experimental verification of the accepted assumptions and hypotheses validity. The results of the study showed that heat treatment of ricinic oil by heating up to 330 °C allows for a chemical reaction of modification of ricinic oil (dehydration and splitting) in order to obtain products suitable for mixing with petroleum, and thanks to additional ultrasound treatment, it is possible to provide a higher degree of dispersion of emulsified products and increase the shelf life. The presented analytical method for evaluating and optimizing the physical and chemical properties of mixtures allows for preliminary optimization of their composition and excluding unsuitable mixtures for further research. Laboratory studies aimed at determining physical and chemical parameters of mixtures confirm the results of theoretical studies and according to the results, mixtures with a content of biological components of no more than 60% are identified, which correspond to the indicators of diesel fuel and are recommended for use.