Furkan KKOLU Durmu YAMAN Nihat DOAN

Graduation Project ME 400 Determination of Calorific Value of the Biodiesel

Aim of the Project

The aim of the project is to determination of the calorific value of the biodiesel produced in NEU PROCEDURE: 1-Development and modification of the Bomb Calorimeter 2-Testing 3-Calibration 4-Calorific value determination of biodiesel

Calorimeter
A calorimeter is a device

used for calorimetry, the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity.

Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil or

animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkaly esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol. Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel engines and is thus distinct from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines. Biodiesel can be used alone, or blended with petrodiesel. Biodiesel can also be used as a low carbon alternative to heating oil.

Working principle of calorimeter

Clean all the parts with alcohol, Connect the burning wire, Add fuel inside of the sample cup, Add 1 ml water into the bomb, Close the bomb cover carefully, Pump oxygen to the bomb

Working principle of calorimeter

Fix the bomb in the water tank, Add 2 lt water to the water tank, Place thermocouples (4) in the tank

and mixer in the water Connect electrical wires to the power supply, Measure the temperatures of all thermocouples Turn on the power supply Wait for all the fuel to fuel and then turned off the power supply Record the temperatures from thermocuples every minutes until a considerable decrease of water temperature is observed.

Modification of the Calorimeter

Cover of bomb is redesigned and manufactured A suitable casing is designed and manufactured

General Appearance

Testing of the Calorimeter

The bomb was tested on out of the system for the burning time for methanol and biodiesel. According to standards of ASTM D240 09 maximum pressible air was 30 bars but was tested until 12 bars. Because; Sub-section of the bomb was welded and not strong enough, We wanted to use oil, but did not have the appropriate device.This is why we used oxygen, Bomb had been vibrated when reached 12 bars, Therefore defined as a maximum of 12bars.

Testing of the Calorimeter

The bomb was tested at 12 bars for safety and leckage

(ASTM D240 - 09: 30 bars) Burning time for methanol and biodiesel was tested at atmospheric conditions Methanol: Power: 4V-10 A (AC) Average burning time: 17 seconds (8 tests) Biodiesel: Power: 4V-15 A (AC) Average burning time: 4 minute 20 seconds (5 tests)

Calibration with Methanol

METHANOL = CH3OH Burning Methanol with oxygen

CH3OH + 3/2 O2 Molar mass of methanol m =32.04 g/mol

CO2 + 2H2O

CALCULATION OF THE PRESSURE

Calculation of Energy
Mass of methanol: The fuel might be 1.1 g according the

standards but the fuel was used 0.45 g for safety.

q = C T
Temperature difference ( T) measured. q is the HHV of methanol

SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY

Sample calculations for Exp. 1 Q before burning= -Qafter burning

Q = mC
Ccalorimeter= Qtheoric/Qexp

calorimeter

- T was known from experiment 1 (0.95 C) Qtheoric=HHV x m =22700 J/g x 0.45g=10221.8 J Qexp=(mbcb+mH2OcH2O+mcupccup)(T) =8760 J /0.45 g = 19466.67 J/g

Ccalorimeter = 10221.8 / 8760 = 1.167

Table of the Calibration with methanol

Number of experiment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Q experimental (kJ/kg) 19466.67 14600.14 15816.8 14600.14 15816.8 15816.8 17033.5 15208.48 17641.67 Q theoric (kJ/kg) 22700 22700 22700 22700 22700 22700 22700 22700 22700 C values (Qtheoric/Qexp) 1.167 1.555 1.436 1.555 1.436 1.436 1.333 1.493 1.287 Cavg=1.4108

Calculations of T
9 Experiments were conducted

Tavg = 0.66 C

SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY

For all C values calculated with same method.

CALORICIF VALUE OF THE BIODIESEL

The fuel was 0.74 g according the standards but the fuel was used

0.52 g for safety. Biodiesel : C20 H40 O2 Molar mass of Methanol m =352 g/mol Burning of the Biodiesel with oxygen C20 H40 O2 + 29 O2 20 CO2 + 20 H2O 1mol C20 H40 O2 29 mol O2
0.52/352 ? O2 nO2 =0.043
Pressure calculation was same with methanol

P= 5.5 atm For ASTM standarts 5.5atm 14atm For this reason 4.5 bars of press O2 applied.

CALCULATION OF THE BIODIESEL ENERGY

Qexp1=(mbcb+mH2OcH2O+mcupccup)(T)

=10950.11 x 2.3625 =25869.375 J / 0.52 g = 49748 J/g We calculated the same method all the values of Q.

Calorific Value of the Biodiesel

Number of experiment 1 2 3 4 5 Q experiment (kJ/g) 49748.79 35271.63 46853.83 37377.77
Q avg=40483.634

C value

tavg 1.88

1.4108 1.4108 1.4108 1.4108 1.4108

1.88 1.88 1.88 1.88

40483.634

C= Qtheoric / Qexperiment Qbio= C x Qavg => Qbio= 57114.31 J/g

Calculations of T
5 Experiments were conducted tavg = 1.88 C

Experiments for biodiesel and their results

Typical Temperature Graph

Conclusion
The mixer is not properly functioning (Tested by

adding ink to water)

Thermocouples are not in a fixed location therefore the

experiments can not be considered as repeatable. Bomb is too massive that temperature rise is low for accurate measurement Initial temperature of water is about 1.5 C lower than room temperature and since the temperature rise is 2.36 C on average heat gain from surrounding is expected. The situation is worse for methanol since temperature rise is only 0.7 C on average.