New Approach to Improving Fuel and Combustion Characteristics of Black Soldier Fly Oil

Abstract

This study proposes a new approach to improve the fuel properties of Black Soldier Fly crude oil (BSFO) by blending it with diethyl ether (DEE). DEE was chosen due to its ideal characteristics such as its low viscosity and high Derived Cetane Number (DCN = 139). Additionally, its low boiling point also improves the fuel sprayand evaporation of the blend. At a constant temperature of 40 ?, comparing pure BSFO to a 40 % DEE toBSFO blend, the kinematic viscosity reduced from 29.76 mm2/s to 3.14 mm2/s and the DCN increased from59.6 to 99.3. The basic fuel properties of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) biodiesel blended with US No. 2 diesel, B5, B15, B25, and B50 (FAME volume percentage) were also compared with BSFODEE mixtures. BSFODEE40% has the potential to meet the fuel standards specified by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards D6751.