The increasing global emphasis on sustainable energy has highlighted the need for alternative biofuels, particularly in agricultural countries like Thailand. However, challenges remain in utilizing nonedible and waste-based feedstocks due to poor fuel properties and limited conversion efficiency. This study addresses these gaps by exploring the potential of underutilized and low-cost feedstocks—castor seed oil (CSO), waste cooking oil (WCO), and animal fat (ANF)—to produce high-quality biodiesel. The novelty of this work lies in optimizing ternary blends of these diverse feedstocks to overcome individual limitations, especially the high viscosity of CSO caused by its high ricinoleic acid content (89.26%). CSO was extracted using hexane maceration, yielding 50.07% ± 1.28% (mass) oil. Various WCO:ANF:CSO ratios were investigated to improve fuel properties, and their chemical composition and physicochemical characteristics were analyzed using GC, 1H-NMR, and FT-IR techniques. Two optimized blends—50:40:10 and 50:30:20—achieved significantly reduced viscosities (4.31 and 4.90 cSt, 1 cSt = 1 mm2·s−1), meeting ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. These blends also exhibited high methyl ester content (>96.5%), good oxidative stability, and favorable cold-flow properties (pour and cloud points as low as −4 °C). To evaluate reaction efficiency, transesterification kinetics were modeled using pseudo-first-order assumptions. The ternary blend containing higher ANF content showed an enhanced reaction rate constant of 8.94 × 10−1 h−1, indicating improved conversion efficiency. Engine performance tests using agricultural diesel engines demonstrated comparable power output to conventional diesel, while emissions of CO2, CO, HC, and NO2 were significantly reduced. Furthermore, performance of the biodiesel blends was similar to commercial B10 and B20 fuels. In summary, this study presents an innovative approach to biodiesel production by combining CSO, WCO, and ANF in optimal ratios to yield a renewable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly fuel.
扫码关注我们
求助内容:
应助结果提醒方式:
