UTILIZATION OF RAW SUNFLOWER OIL BLEND IN A TRACTOR WITH A MODIFIED FUEL SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper shows the results of a two years trial carried out by the Department of Agriculture Economics and Engineering, University of Bologna, in cooperation with CRPV (Plant Production Research Centre) in the framework of the PROBIO project (National Biofuel Programme). In particular, it concerns an interregional project “Biofuel Chain from Sunflower” coordinated by Marche region with the cooperation of Emilia-Romagna and Veneto regions. The project goal is to verify the economical and technical feasibility of raw vegetable oils (obtained from cold pressing of sunflower seeds in small scale plants) as a replacement for diesel fuel in electricity generators, greenhouse heaters and in tractors specially modified for fuelling with raw oil such as in this case.