Research on ethylene glycol monomethyl ether palm oil monoester as a novel biofuel

In the article, a new biofuel named ethylene glycol monomethyl ether palm oil monoester (EGMMEPOM) is developed as a clean alternative fuel for diesel engine. It was synthesized through transesterification reaction with a refined palm oil and ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGMME) as reactants and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as catalyst under certain conditions. Its chemical structure was identified through Fourier transform‐infrared (FT‐IR) spectrum, 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analyses, and its main fuel properties were measured precisely. A two‐cylinder diesel engine was utilized to investigate its combustion performances, fuel economy and emissions characteristics. When the engine was operated with the new biofuel at a high speed of 2000 r/min instead of diesel fuel, smoke emissions were decreased by 26.3% to 70.0% with carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon compounds (HC) emissions significantly reduced. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions were decreased by 14.0% to 23.5%. The new palm oil monoester has a cetane number as high as 77.0 which leads to a shorter autoignition delay duration than diesel fuel and makes the curves of in‐cylinder pressure increasing rate and heat release rate shift forward 2 to 3 degrees crank angle (°CA). Owing to more amount of oxygen existing in the new biofuel, both peak in‐cylinder pressure increasing rate and peak heat releasing rate decreased. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 241–249, 2016