Syngas: Derived from biodiesel and its influence on CI engine

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) 2019-12, Vol.189, p.116189, Article 116189
• Main Authors: Ramalingam, Senthil, Ezhumalai, Manikandan, Govindasamy, Mohan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CI engine; Dual fuel; Fast pyrolysis; Glycerol; Glycerol-water mixture; Syngas
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116189

Nowadays biodiesel usage is widely adopted in internal combustion engine because of availability and lower exhaust emissions. During the biodiesel production around 10% glycerol is obtained as a byproduct, and this can be efficiently used in CI engines. In this paper the crude glycerol obtained from the trans-esterification process of biodiesel is used to produce hydrogen enriched syngas, through water mixture by directly injecting it into a fast thermal cracking reactor at different temperature such as 600 °C, 650 °C, 700 °C and 750 °C. The yield of syngas at different temperatures and different glycerol-water proportions are analyzed. It is seen that the addition of water has improved the syngas yield and also increased the proportion of hydrogen in the syngas up to 80%. Further the performance and emission study of the syngas in a compression ignition engine showed significant reduction in smoke and NO emission simultaneously. [Display omitted] •Convert waste glycerol into hydrogen rich syngas by thermal cracking.•Thermal cracking of glycerol-water has 22.7% higher hydrogen yield than glycerol.•Induction of syngas in CI engine with diesel as pilot fuel improved the BTE of the CI engine up to 1.2%.•Syngas induction in CI reduced the NO emission.