Glycerine from biodiesel: The perfect diesel fuel

Glycerine supply currently exceeds its demand by a significant margin as it is formed as by-product in biodiesel production. Different routes for its utilisation are currently being looked into, especially ones that would allow its use as a fuel addition. However these routes are not as energy efficient as its direct combustion. Previously glycerine and other very low cetane number calorific liquids were thought impossible to be used as fuels in compression ignition engines. We have developed a combustion cycle that permits the utilisation of glycerine as a fuel in a compression ignition engine without the need for pilot fuels or cetane improving additives. The paper discusses the results of glycerine combustion in standard unmodified Lister-Petter and Deutz compression ignition engines. (C) 2011 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.