Abstract
Over the last years numerous attempts have been made to minimize the amount of toxical and harmful exhaust gases from Diesel powered vehicles. Therefore, the amounts of sulfur and aromatics in Diesel fuels have been drastically reduced, usually by fuels hydrodesulphurization. Hydrodesulphurization of diesel fuels is an important process for obtaining clean and environmentally friendly fuels. Previous studies on the effect of sulfur removal by desulphurization have shown a decrease in the lubricity of Diesel fuels that can impact the engine and the injection systems working with.
In this study the lubricity of Diesel fuel was restored by addition of methyl esters prepared by transesterication of sun flower oil. The transesterification reaction was carried out in the presence of methanol and the properties of the sunflower oil esters, such acid value, density, viscosity, lubricity, and cloud point were determinate according to ASTM standards. The lubricity was measured using the High Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR) method.
We have also investigate the corrosion effect of the methyl esters on different type of materials usually used as sealing spare parts of the car engines. In addition, the energetic and ecologic performances of the biodiesel derived from sunflower oil were investigated by testing the fuels on a Diesel engine 392-L4-DT/104.
Keywords: methyl ester, Diesel fuel, corrosion, lubricity, Diesel engines