Abstract
Biodiesel has become more attractive as alternative fuel for automobiles because of its environmental benefits and the fact that it is from renewable sources. However, corrosion of metals in biodiesel is one of the concerns related to biodiesel compatibility issues. This study aims to characterize the corrosion behavior of steel commonly encountered in the fuel system of automotive diesel engine. Static immersion tests in biodiesel obtained from three different types of vegetable oils (sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and corn oil) were carried out at room temperature for 49 days. At the end of the test, corrosion behavior was investigated by weight loss measurements and changes in physical and chemical properties of biodiesel. Biodiesel samples were analyzed to investigate density, dynamic viscosity, acidity index and saponification index. Results showed that under the experimental conditions, steel was more susceptible to corrosion in biodiesel from corn oil as compared to biodiesel from sunflower oil and rapeseed oil.
Keywords: Automotive, Diesel Engine, Corrosion Rate, Carbon Steel, Biodiesel