Evaluation of soybean/canola/palm biodiesel mixture as an alternative diesel fuel

This study examines fuel properties and performance characteristics of diesel engine fueled with three different biodiesel mixtures (soybean, canola and palm oils) and their blends with diesel fuel according to ASTM and EN standards. Viscosity and pour point of soybean-canola-palm (S-C-P) biodiesel blends were found out of standard ranges. Blend with soybean (25%) - canola (25%) - palm (25%) - diesel (25%) reached acceptable fuel properties (kinematic viscosity 4.3 mm(2)/s, cetane number 53, pour point -4 degrees C). It performed 3% power loss with 8% higher specific fuel consumption. While CO and CO2 emissions were reduced, NO, emissions were increased with increasing biodiesel contents in blends. As a result, diesel usage was minimized to 25% by blending it with S-C-P biodiesels together.