Improving the cold flow properties of high-proportional waste cooking oil biodiesel blends with mixed cold flow improvers

Abstract

This study was conducted to improve the cold flow properties of biodiesel obtained from waste cooking oil. The fuel properties of biodiesel blends with 0# diesel in 10 vol% (B10), 20 vol% (B20), 30 vol% (B30), 40 vol% (B40), and 50 vol% (B50) were determined. Mixed cold flow improver (CFI) was composed of ethyl acetoacetate (EAA), iso-decyl methacrylate (EHMA) and iso-octyl methacrylate (IOMA) in various proportions. The fuel properties of B50 with mixed CFIs were also determined. Binary mixed CFIs performed the best improvement on cold flow properties of B50. With the blending of 2.5 vol% EAA and 10 vol% IOMA, the CFPP and PP of B50 with CFI were decreased by 11 °C and 12 °C, respectively, with respect to neat biodiesel. In addition, density, water content, kinematic viscosity, flash point, acid value, oxidation stability, and calorific value of formulated B50 were also determined. All the fuel properties of formulated B50 satisfied the GB19147-2009 (III) and GB19147-2013 (IV) for −10# automobile diesel fuels.