Conventional Biofuel R &D 1. Non-edible Vegetable oil 2. Trans-esterification Reactions 3. Bio-fuel 4. Blend with petroleum 5.

It suitability for road transport 6. Do modifications in the engine for better tolerence of biofuel amount

NAL R & D on Biofuel for aerospace applications 1.Biofuel from non-edible vegetable oils 2.R & D activities on upgrading the biofuel, 3.Thrust and Emission determination for Wankel Engine, small gas turbine 4.Dropsize and drop size distribution (Malvern Spray Tec) 5.Physico Chemical determination like, viscosity , freeze point determination at minus 20C and other tests as per ASTM specification

Development of biofuels for aerospace applications

Biofuels Development Non-edible Oils Conversion to biodiesel Trans-esterification reaction R & D trials to upgrade the

biodiesel. Biodiesel upgradation will be by the catalytic route. Detailed testing of the developed biofuel for its suitability as aviation fuel.

[mV] My GC 13-Sep-2011 11_26_49 AM My GC - 9_6_2010 3_46_57 PM 500

400

Voltage

300

200

100

2
0 2 4 Time 6 8 [min.]

Gas chromatograms of (1) Aviation kerosene; (2) Synthesized biofuel

Heterogeneous catalysis route play an important role for the upgradation of

biofuels for aerospace applications. Since aviation kerosene is the recommended fuel
for aviation purpose, the synthesized biofuels which are fatty acids of methyl esters should be converted into kerosene equivalent bio-fuels. In order to accomplish this the following chemical conversions have to be effected. Catalytic cracking reaction: The C-C chain length of the fatty acids which is C15-C19 should be catalytically cracked to produce the required compounds. amounts of C8- to C15

Decarboxylation reaction: The methyl ester group present in FAME should be

catalytically converted to hydrocarbon groups. Hydrodeoxygenation reaction: The C to H ratio in the original fuel should be suitably altered to produce the required product that closely resembles aviation kerosene chemically and physically.

The Catalytic Reactor was Commissioned and Installed in the Chemistry Laboratory

Can go upto 450C; 50 atmospheric pressure

Characterization of GC peaks of upgraded biofuel-1.

[V] 1.0 My GC 13-Sep-2011 3_26_53 PM My GC 13-Sep-2011 11_26_49 AM 0.8

0.6
Voltage

0.4

0.2

0.0 0 2 4 Time 6 8 [min.]

Peak No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Retention. Time [min] 0.380 0.530 0.693 0.973 1.517 2.520 4.240 7.337 Total

Area [mV.s] Area [%] 2184.1 1236.4 1366.4 10332.5 1769.0 1524.2 853.0 121.1 19386.7 11.3 6.4 7.0 53.3 9.1 7.9 4.4 0.6 100.0

GC of upgraded biofuel formulation 2

[V] My GC 16-Sep-2011 2_49_42 PM 1.2

1.0

0.8
Voltage

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0 0 2 4 Time 6 8 [min.]

Peak No 1 2 3 4 5 6

Retention. Time [min] 0.400 0.713 0.997 1.553 2.530 7.287 Total

Area [mV.s] 1200.7 964.5 12388.4 2217.2 3010.7 53.31 19834.8

Area [%] 6.1 4.9 62.5 11.2 15.2 0.3 100.0

GC peaks of upgraded Honge based biofuel-3

[mV] 800 My GC 23-Sep-2011 11_07_37 AM

600

Voltage

400

200

0 0 2 4 Time 6 8 [min.]

Peak No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Retention. Time [min] 0.553 0.713 1.003 1.503 2.437 3.893 6.687 Total

Area [mV.s] 6213.001 4293.490 4086.409 4168.120 6365.223 2438.766 712.601 28277.611

Area [%] 22.0 15.2 14.5 14.7 22.5 8.6 2.5 100.0

Viscosity measurements The viscosity measurements made by using the Ubbelohde type viscometer are shown below.
S No 1 Sample Pure Kerosene Viscosity (centistokes) 1.65

2
3 4 5

Synthesized, distilled Jatropha biofuel-2

Upgraded Jatropha Biofuel-2 Synthesized, distilled Honge biofuel-3 Upgraded Honge Biofuel-3

4.3
2.14 2.55 1.22

Bio fuel Research Instrumental Facilities at NAL

1. 2. 3. 4. Catalytic reactor Gas chromatograph Mini Reactor for biofuel synthesis Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer for trace metal analysis 5. Reids Vapour Pressure determinator 6. Automatic potentiometric titrator for Acid number and moisture determination 7. Pensky Marten flash point apparatus 8. Smoke point determination apparatus 9. Viscosity determination apparatus 10.Test beds for emission and thrust determination 11.Drop size and drop size determination (Malvern Spray Tec Instrument)