Assessment of physical and chemical characteristics of Camelina Methyl Ester (CME) as biodiesel

In order to study the suitability of using vegetable oils as fuels (biodiesel), Camelina Sativa because of its low production costs rather than other oil seeds was chosen as a based oil. Camelina Sativa oil was extracted with integrated mechanical and chemical methods and biodiesel was made by transesterification process. Different blends of Camelina methyl ester (CME) and common diesel fuel were made with 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% in volume basis and compare with net diesel fuel as control. Fuel blends named B00, B20, B40, B60, B80 and B100 respectively. The fuel tests results showed increase in density, specific gravity, viscosity, flash point, cetane index from B00 to B100 as 4.3, 4.3, 14.7, 36.5, 29 and 12.28 percent respectively and an increase in distillation range. The result of tests on cloud point and pour point showed the increase in B00 to B100 with 66.6 and 57.14 percent respectively. Based on Sulphur content test the ratio of amount sulphur content between B00 and B100 was 1:20. Heating value of B100 was 11.55% less than B00. By increasing the percentage of CME it is possible to increase the fuel efficiency, combustion quality and also to decrease the pollution especially sulfur components. The limiting factors such as density, specific gravity and viscosity increase but decrease in heating value of combustion and fuel cost are some of the barriers in using high percentage of CME in compound fuel.