Thermodynamic properties and phase behavior of biodiesel fuels derivatives for engine technology

Abstract

This project, Thermodynamic Properties and Phase Behavior of Biodiesel Fuels Derivatives for Engine Technology, was mainly focusing on the study and development on the basis of modern theory, a simple and effective way to predict phase equilibria, data and thermodynamic properties of binary systems formed by a methyl ester and an alcohol. Little information is available on the vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) of methyl ester + alcohol system. Only just almost similar information can be found, different in studied materials and equation of states (EOS) that been used. To overcome this lack of data, all kind of approaches and study were taken from different journals and books in order to develop new VLE measurement (ester + methanol/ethanol) which was carried out at atmospheric pressure and new prediction from different EOS. Before the measurement can take place, the studied material which was methyl ester had to be produced first by using laboratory method. The alkali transesterification method had been adopted for the methyl ester production. After the required amount of methyl ester had been produced, it became studied material for VLE measurement which was the main objective of this project. The extracted measurement data was to be modeled together with the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state (SRK EOS) in order to develop VLE diagram for methyl ester + alcohol binary system.