Investigation of the Combustion, Emissions, and Engine Performance Characteristics of Cottonseed Biodiesel for use in Power Generation
type: CreativeWork
description: This study investigates the combustion characteristics of cotton seed FAME (C100 and C20), in a direct injection diesel engine. The research compares the combustion and emissions characteristics of cotton seed FAME to ultra-low sulfur diesel #2 (ULSD#2) to investigate possible use in a startup boiler to produce steam for large boiler operation, and for use in diesel engine generators. Fuel properties including viscosity, oxidation stability, lower heating value, thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis, and spray characteristics were analyzed. Fuel property measurements were comparable to ULSD#2 in every aspect except oxidation stability which showed the C100 being stable for a shorter period of time. Mechanical efficiency of ULSD was 83% and presented a 5% decrease for C100; while the overall efficiency was 36% for ULSD and 33% for C100 at 8 bar IMEP. The NOX for C100 was improved and presented an 11% decrease compared with ULSD. Unburned hydrocarbons value (UHC) for ULSD was 2.8 g/kWh at 8 bar IMEP, and were improved by 18% for C100. The carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for C100 was improved with a 17% reduction compared with ULSD at 3 bar but were relatively constant at 8 bar IMEP, presenting a value of 0.82 g/kWh for both fuels. The soot value for ULSD was 1.5 g/kWh and presented an improved 42% decrease for C100 at 8 bar IMEP. The results suggest a very good performance of cotton seed biodiesel, even at very high content of 100%, especially on the emissions side that showed decreasing values for regulated and non-regulated species.
abstract: This study investigates the combustion characteristics of cotton seed FAME (C100 and C20), in a direct injection diesel engine. The research compares the combustion and emissions characteristics of cotton seed FAME to ultra-low sulfur diesel #2 (ULSD#2) to investigate possible use in a startup boiler to produce steam for large boiler operation, and for use in diesel engine generators. Fuel properties including viscosity, oxidation stability, lower heating value, thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis, and spray characteristics were analyzed. Fuel property measurements were comparable to ULSD#2 in every aspect except oxidation stability which showed the C100 being stable for a shorter period of time. Mechanical efficiency of ULSD was 83% and presented a 5% decrease for C100; while the overall efficiency was 36% for ULSD and 33% for C100 at 8 bar IMEP. The NOX for C100 was improved and presented an 11% decrease compared with ULSD. Unburned hydrocarbons value (UHC) for ULSD was 2.8 g/kWh at 8 bar IMEP, and were improved by 18% for C100. The carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for C100 was improved with a 17% reduction compared with ULSD at 3 bar but were relatively constant at 8 bar IMEP, presenting a value of 0.82 g/kWh for both fuels. The soot value for ULSD was 1.5 g/kWh and presented an improved 42% decrease for C100 at 8 bar IMEP. The results suggest a very good performance of cotton seed biodiesel, even at very high content of 100%, especially on the emissions side that showed decreasing values for regulated and non-regulated species.
author: Weaver, Jabeous
keywords: ETD, Direct Injection Diesel Engine, Cottonseed FAME, Small Startup Boiler, Power Generation, Engineering, Heat Transfer, Combustion, Mechanical Engineering
date published: 2013-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:27:41Z
provider: Georgia Southern University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Georgia Southern University