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Title: Biodiesel With Optimized Fatty Ester Composition

Author
item Knothe, Gerhard

Submitted to: Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/18/2008
Publication Date: 5/18/2008
Citation: Knothe, G.H. 2008. Biodiesel With Optimized Fatty Ester Composition [abstract]. Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society, Seattle, WA.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Biodiesel is largely composed of the mono-alkyl esters, usually methyl esters, of vegetable oils or animal fats with its fatty acid profile corresponding to that of the parent oil or fat. The different fatty esters have varying properties of relevance to biodiesel. The feedstock-dependent variations of these esters impart varying properties to biodiesel. Some of these properties of biodiesel from the different feedstocks may impede its use under certain conditions. Properties that are affected include oxidative stability, cold flow as well as cetane number and exhaust emissions. Solving these problems simultaneously has been difficult since improvement of one property often results in aggravating another problem. It is therefore of interest to formulate biodiesel fuels with fatty acid compositions that address these issues simultaneously. While esters of oleic acid are promising candidates for enrichment in biodiesel fuel, esters of other acids, specifically palmitoleic or decanoic acids may offer some advantages compared to oleic acid esters. Properties that were examined include oxidative stability, kinematic viscosity, cold flow, lubricity, heat of combustion, as well as cetane number and exhaust emissions.