Fuel characterisation studies on chlorella vulgaris methyl ester algae – a third-generation biofuel

Abstract

Third generation biofuels obtained from microalgae are increasingly being considered as an alternative fuel for use in compression ignition engines owing to their intrinsic benefits of abundant oil source availability and fast growth rate. In this context, the current study presents insights into the fuel properties and characterization studies of methyl ester obtained from chlorella vulgaris algae oil. Density, Kinematic viscosity, Lower Heating Value and Calculated Cetane Index of CVME algae were found to be 0.888 g/cc, 4.83 cSt, 39.54 MJ/Kg and 39 respectively. The conducted spectral studies with FTIR and UV-Vis reveals the existence of C=O at a wavelength region of 1741.75 cm-1 and 202 −208 nm. The chemical structure and compositions of CVME algae was found to be C19H36O2, 66.80 % of carbon, 11.80 % of hydrogen and 21.40 % of oxygen respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Chlorella vulgaris methyl ester algae
• Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
• ultraviolet visible spectroscopy
• elemental analysis
• oil extraction
• transesterification

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Nanotechnology Research Centre (NRC), SRM Institute of Science and Technology for providing the research instruments facilities of FTIR & UV-Vis spectroscopies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).