PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF TALLOW ESTER AND DIESEL FUEL BLENDS

PhYsical properties of neat tallow methyl ester and ethanol blends wer e determined to find the ester/ethanol blend which had the same viscos ity as that of number 2 diesel fuel. Tallow ester and ethanol in a 65: 35 (v/v) ratio gave the same viscosity as that of diesel fuel. This bl end was mixed with number 2 diesel fuel in ratios varYing from 0 to 10 0%, and viscosities, densities and cetane indexes of the blends were d etermined Mixture viscosity was not affected by ester content. Viscosi ty of the mixture decreased as temperature increased. The cetane numbe r of the tallow ester/ethanol/diesel blend was greater than that of pu re number 2 diesel fuel. The cetane number of 56 for the tallow ester/ ethanol blend was reduced to 46 for a blend of 25% tallow ester/ethano l and 75% diesel fuel. It was concluded that tallow ester had potentia l as a diesel fuel substitute.