Use of d-Limonene as an additive to biodiesel in compression ignition engines

Abstract

It is known that vegetable oils, after being submitted to transesterification process, generates vegetable oils esters (currently named as biodiesel) with properties similar to diesel fuel , e.g. density, cetane number , heating values, air-fuel ratio and others. However, subsequent problems of increased viscosity and other inherent to the chemical composition of the vegetable oil, results in worse spraying and combustion, undesirable deposits formation on different engine parts and contamination of the lubricating oil. Faced with this problem, it is opportune to propose an additive also derived from biomass (in this case the d-limonene extracted from orange peel) to biodiesel or diesel/biodiesel blends, as well as the detailed study of the consequences of its application as an additive to alternative fuel of Compression Ignition Engines. It is intended, thereby, to contribute to the solution of the problems described in the literature and detailed in the theoretical foundation of this project. (AU)