Production of diesel like fuel from waste engine oil and engine performance testing

International Research Journal in Engineering and Emerging Technology (IRJEET)
Volume – 01, Issue – 01, March – 2020
www.we-irjeet.com 2019 IRJEET – All Right Reserved 1 | Page
Production of diesel like fuel from waste engine oil and
engine performance testing
Shivam Garg1
, Shubham Pathak2
1
(FEV India Private Limited, Pune, India)
2
(Quality Control Engineer, Bhiwadi Cylinders Pvt. Ltd., Bhiwadi, India)
Abstract: Engine oil has become a very useful and versatile material with a wide range of application. In the
past 60 years, the automotive and industry sector is developing on a large scale and there productivity is raising
up exponentially. Parallel to the growth of these sectors the demand of engine oil and high viscous lubricants
are increasing which leads to the problem of pollution worldwide due to its slow decomposing behavior and
toxic impacts on environment.
Researches are going on to recycle the waste engine oil and produce diesel like fuels with different processes.
This Research covers the production of diesel like fuel from waste engine oil by doing pyrolysis and testing it in
CI engine to check and compare the engine performance.
It is also seen that from 1 kg of waste high density engine oil, about 750ml of fuel can be produced. And, the
produced fuel can be used for domestic purpose, in automotive field, and in industries also. This fuel produced
by pyrolysis of waste engine oil is suitable to use in a diesel engine partially or completely.
Keywords: Waste engine oil, Diesel like fuel, Pyrolysis process, Engine performance testing, Hydrocarbon
1. INTRODUCTION
In the future, waste engine oil can help to address some of the world’s most pressing problems,
such as climate change and food shortages. For example, Waste Engine Oils are used in the
manufacture of rotors for wind turbines and tunnels made from polyethylene can help crops grow in
otherwise unfavorable conditions. As demand for materials with certain qualities increases, the Waste
Engine Oils industry will aim to supply them.
Meanwhile, increasing Waste Engine Oil production and use in emerging economies looks set to
continue, and waste management infrastructure will have to develop accordingly. It produced on a
massive scale worldwide and its production crosses the 150 million tons per year globally. Its broad
range of application is in packaging films, wrapping materials, shopping and garbage bags, fluid
containers, clothing, toys, household and industrial products, and building materials. It is a fact that
Waste Engine Oils will never degrade and remains on landscape for several years. The recycled
Waste Engine Oils are more harmful to the environment than the virgin products due to mixing of
color, additives, stabilizers, flame retardants etc. Further, the recycling of a virgin Waste Engine Oil
material can be done 2-3 time only, because, after every recycling, the strength of Waste Engine Oil
material is reduced due to thermal degradation. It is to mention that no authentic estimation is
available on total generation of Waste Engine Oil waste in the country however, considering 70% of
total Waste Engine Oil consumption is discarded as waste, thus approximately 5.6 million tons per
annum (TPA) of Waste Engine Oil waste is generated in country, which is about 15342 tons per day
(TPD).
The breakdown of Waste Engine Oil waste in an average household is shown in the Figure 1.1. A
majority of Waste Engine Oil is used for food packaging.
1.1.EFFECT OF WASTE ENGINE OIL ON ENVIRONMENT
Indiscriminate littering of unskilled recycling/reprocessing and non-biodegradability of waste
engine oil waste raises the following environmental issues

 Oil decomposes slowly, therefore, it reduces the oxygen supply to the microorganisms that
break the oil down into non-hazardous compounds.
 Toxic gases and harmful metallic dust particles are produced by ordinary combustion of used
oil that is harmful to the environment.
 The high concentration of metals such as ions, lead, zinc, chromium and copper in used oil can
be toxic to ecological systems and to human health if they are emitted from the exhaust stack
of uncontrolled burners and furnaces.
 Some of the additives used in lubricants can contaminate the environment. For example, zinc,
di-alkyl di-thiophosphates, molybdenum di-sulphide, and other organometallic compounds.
 Certain compounds in used oil, for instance poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, can be very
dangerous to one's health. Some are carcinogenic and mutagenic.
 The poly-aromatic hydrocarbons content of engine oil increases with operating time, because
the poly-aromatic hydrocarbons formed during combustion in petrol engines accumulates in
the oil. Lubricating oil is transformed by the high temperatures and stress of an engine's
operation.
 This results in oxidation, nitration, cracking of Organic and decomposition of organ-metallic
compounds.
A view of waste engine oil disposal in an open area is shown in the figure 1. It shows the effect of
waste on disposal area. The area become contaminated and also effects nearby areas.
Fig 1. Waste engine oil disposal in an open area
2. METHODS TO CONVERT WASTE ENGINE OIL INTO ENERGY
2.1.INCINERATION
Waste incineration, or controlled burning, is typically considered as a disposal method, because it is
usually applied as a method of reducing the volume of miscellaneous municipal waste. However,
incineration of Waste Engine Oils can also be seen as recovery method, as Waste Engine Oils could
replace the application of other oil based fuels. It can be viewed that the Waste Engine Oil application
is the first purpose of oil, and energy production is the secondary task. Indeed incineration with energy
reclamation is considered as a recovery method and, due to their high energy content, Waste Engine
Oil waste is a valuable fuel. The heat capacity of Waste Engine Oils and some other materials are
shown in the table 1.

Table 1. Heat capacity of materials
Material Heat Capacity (MJ/kg) Material Heat Capacity (MJ/kg)
PVC 18 Heavy fuel oil 41
PE 27 Coal 26
PET 46 Natural gas 36
PS 41 Milled peat 10
ABS 35 Paper 17
*Unit MJ/m3
(0˚ C)
2.2.PYROLYSIS
Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of Organic material at elevated temperatures without
the participation of oxygen. This involves simultaneous change of chemical and physical phase.
The pyrolysis process for Waste Engine Oil takes the long chain molecules and breaks or cracks them
into shorter chains through heat and pressure. Essentially the process is mimicking the natural process
of the earth to break down carbon into oil which takes millions of years in nature. The pyrolysis
process does this with intense heat in a closed system in a short amount of time.
Anhydrous pyrolysis can also be used to produce liquid fuel similar to diesel from Waste Engine Oil
waste, with a higher cetane value and lower sulphur content than traditional diesel. Using pyrolysis to
extract fuel from end-of-life Waste Engine Oil is a second-best option after recycling, is
environmentally preferable to landfill, and can help reduce dependency on foreign fossil fuels and geo-
extraction. In many industrial applications, the process is done under pressure and at operating
temperatures above 430 °C (806 °F). For agricultural waste, for example, typical temperatures are 450
to 550 °C
2.2.1. THERMAL CRACKING
Thermal cracking, or pyrolysis, involves the degradation of the organic materials by heating in the
absence of oxygen. The process is usually conducted at temperatures between 500- 800ºC and results
in the formation of a carbonized char and a volatile fraction that may be separated into condensable
hydrocarbon oil and a non-condensable high calorific value gas. The proportion of each fraction and
their precise composition depends primarily on the nature of the Waste Engine Oil waste but also on
process conditions. In the case of polyolefin like polyethylene or polypropylene, thermal cracking has
been reported to proceed through a random scission mechanism that generates a mixture of linear
olefins and paraffin over a wide range of molecular weights. In other cases, like polystyrene and poly
methyl Meta acrylate, thermal degradation occurs by a so-called unzipping mechanism that yields a
high proportion of their constituent monomers.
3. EXPERIMENT SETUP
Various components are used for the whole process and testing i.e.
3.1.REACTOR
The reactor is cylindrical in shape. It consists of two units, one is the main body of side walls and
base, and other is upper cover. The cover is connected to remaining body by using nut and screws. A
gasket is provided between the units to stop fumes leak. The middle of upper unit contains a hole
through which a pipe is welded at 90 degrees to provide as the outlet of fumes. This pipe is connected
to other pipe using a 90 degrees bend connector. That pipe is bended at 30 degrees halfway through.
Another smaller hole is provided on upper unit in which thermocouple is inserted.
The photographic view of the reactor is shown in the figure 2. Around the reactor, heater is fitted.

Table 2. Specification of reactor
SPECIFICATIONS
Material Mild Steel
Shape Cylindrical
Height 250 mm
Diameter 200 mm
Thickness 2 mm
*Unit MJ/m3
(0˚ C)
3.2.HEATER
The type of heater used is Ceramic Band Heater. It can provide temperature up to 500℃. They are
fixed on the sides of reactor using screws. An insulating material of glass wool is provided over the
plates. The glass wool help us to trap the heat efficiently and to attain maximum temperature. The
heater having the hole for to insert the thermocouple to measure the temperature of the heater. This
help us to maintain the temperature of the heater to avoid the damage or get burnt of the plates. The
Figure 3 shows the heater used for heating the reactor.
Table 3. Specification of heater
SPECIFICATIONS
Max Temp 500˚ C
Voltage 230 V
Power 6000 Watts
Height 220 mm
Diameter 210 mm
*Unit MJ/m3
(0˚ C)
3.3.CONDENSOR
Two glass condensers were used, one is coil type (Figure 4) and other is double surface ‘Davies’ type
(Figure 5). Both are joined together to increase the efficiency of condensation. A coil condenser is
essentially a "Graham condenser" with an inverted coolant/vapor configuration. It has a spiral coil
running the length of the condenser through which coolant flows, and this coolant coil is jacketed by
the vapor/condensate path.
In double surface condenser, the gases pass through the area which is completely covered by water on
both outer and inner parts. It has increased surface area and effectiveness when compared with the
corresponding Liebig condenser. Inner cooling surface gives a baffling effect, while outer cooling
surface prevents creep and loss of vapor when used with low boiling liquids.
Fig 4. Coiled type condenser Fig 5. Davies condenser
Fig 2. Reactor design
Fig 3. Heater design

3.4.TEMPERATURE CONTROL SETUP
The setup for monitoring and controlling temperature of reactor and heater consists of:
 Thermocouple
 Temperature Indicator
 Temperature Controller
Fig 6. Temperature Controller
4. SYSTEMATIC AND PHOTOGRAPHIC VIEW OF PYROLYSIS SETUP
Fig 6. Systematic view Fig 7. Photographic view
5. TESTING SETUP
Table 4. Engine Specification
SPECIFICATIONS
No. of Cylinders 1
No. of Stroke 4
Rated Power 5.2 kW @ 1500 rpm
Bore
Stroke
Compression Ratio
Orifice diameter
Dynamometer arc length
87.5 mm
110 mm
17.5 : 1
20 mm
185 mm
Injector opening pressure 210 bar Fig 8. Diesel engine test ROG setup

6. FUEL PRODUCTION
The method used for preparation of fuel from Waste Engine Oil is pyrolysis. The reactor having
the ceramic band heater fixed on all four side from outside is used for to get high temperature
(maximum 550oC). The raw material is put inside the reactor and make the reactor seal tight by using
gas kit. Nut and bolts are used for fixing the upper unit on the lower reactor unit. There are different
experiment we go through and used different types of Waste Engine Oil for pyrolysis. Some of them
are mentioned below.
6.1.PROCEDURE
 The Waste Engine Oil used for pyrolysis was black in color.
 Took around 500ml of 15W40 grade.
 The Waste Engine Oil was put inside the reactor.
 Gasket is fitted between the cover and bottom unit for perfect sealing.
 Closed the reactor using nut and bolt. Make sure that reactor is perfectly sealed from the
atmosphere.
 Checked all the connection of heater, temperature controller, thermocouple, temperature
indicator.
 Inserted the thermocouple through the hole on the upper cover to measure temperature inside
the reactor (temperature of melt polybags). It was connected with the temperature indicator.
 Another thermocouple was used to control the temperature of heating plates which was
connected with temperature controller unit.
 Condenser was connected with the pipe come out the reactor. Adaptors were used for
reducing and increasing the size for air tight connections.
 Tap water was used as cooling medium for condensation.
 Checked all the units and then switched ON the power supply.
6.2.OBSERVATION
 Initially temperature inside the reactor was at room temperature 31 ˚C.
 Temperature inside the reactor increases with increase in temperature of heating plates.
 At 235 ˚C white fumes come from the pipe and get stop at 300 ˚C.
 Again fumes start to come at 345 ˚C and continue till temperature reaches 450 ˚C.
 The fumes come out from the reactor are pass through the condensation unit for condensation.
 The rates of fumes get reduced and stop at temperature 476 ˚C.
 Heating plate gets burnt due to excess temperature
6.3.RESULT
Fig 9. Diesel like fuel collected in beaker

7. PROPERTIES OF DIESEL LIKE FUEL
7.1.FLASH POINT
The flash point of a flammable fuel is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable
mixture in air. At this temperature the vapor may cease to burn when the source of ignition is
removed. The flash point is often used as one descriptive characteristic of liquid fuel, but it is
also used to describe liquids that are not used intentionally as fuels.
Table 5. Flash Point
S. No. DLF Diesel
1 56 ˚C > 52 ˚C
7.2.FIRE POINT
The Fire point of a flammable fuel is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable
mixture in air. At this temperature the vapor starts burn when the source of ignition is removed.
Table 6. Fire Point
S. No. DLF Diesel
1 64 ˚C > 62 ˚C
7.3.VISCOCITY
Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It describes the internal friction of a
moving fluid. A fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it a
lot of internal friction.
Fig 10. Variation of Viscosity with Increase in Temperature
7.4.CALORIFIC VALUE
The calorific value of any fuel in solid or liquid state can be calculated with the help of Bomb
Calorimeter, by using a simple formula:
𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 = (𝒎𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐) ∗ (𝑻𝒄 + 𝑻𝟏 − 𝑻𝟐) ∗
𝑪𝒘
𝑴𝒇
Here, m1 and m2 ≥ mass of water and equivalent mass of bomb. T1 and T2 are initial and final
Temperatures. Mf is mass of fuel sample and Tc is radiation losses.

7.4.1. BOMB CALORIMETER
The bomb calorimeter is simple equipment which helps in finding out the calorific value of
fuel, the combustion inside the calorimeter take place at high pressure (30 atm), so the calorimeter is
made up of heavy metals. The pressure inside the bomb is due to the presence of the pumped in
oxygen, this pumped in oxygen will help in the process of combustion. The energy used for the
combustion process in the bomb calorimeter is electrical energy; for each experiment a 2g of sample
is used the sample is filled inside the crucible. The electrical circuit is then completed with the help of
a nichrome wire.
Table 7. Observation Table
Fig 11. Bomb calorimeter
7.4.2. CALCULATIONS
(2000 + 755)*(0.5 + 29.38 – 26)*1/2 = 10700.32 cal/g
1 cal/g = 4186.79 J/kg
10700.32 cal/g = 44800000 J/kg = 44800 KJ/kg
(2000 + 755)*(0.5 + 28.83 – 26) = 9177.68 cal/g
9177.68 cal/g = 38425000 J/kg = 38425 KJ/kg
Fig 12. Profile of calorific values of diesel and DLF
Sample m1 m2 T2 T1 TC CW mf
Diesel 2000g 755g 39 °C 26 °C 0.5 °C 1 2g
DLF 2000g 755g 36 °C 26 °C 0.5 °C 1 2g

7.5. ENGINE PERFORMANCE FOR DIESEL LIKE FUEL (DLF)
S. No. Speed
(rpm)
Load
(kg)
W
Fuel
flow
(ml)
x
Time
(Sec)
t
Engine
Cooling
Water
(Lph)
Cal.
Water
(Lph)
T1/T3
Engine
Water In
(˚C)
T2 T4 T5 T6
1. 1500 0 10 60 1000 250 25 35 32 125 95
2. 1500 5 10 38 1000 250 25 37 35 187 134
3. 1500 10 10 25 1000 250 25 40 38 245 170
4. 1500 15 10 15 1000 250 25 43 40 330 218
Here, T2 is engine water in (˚C), T4 is calorimeter water out (˚C), T5 is exh in (˚C) and T6 is exh out (˚C).
Table 9. Results
S.NO. Load
(kg)
Br. Torque
(Nm)
Br. Power
(kW)
Fuel Cons.
(kg/sec)
Sp. Fuel Cons.
(kg/kW-sec)
Heat Supplied
(kV)
Brake Thermal
Eff. (%)
1. 0 0 0 0.000142 0 5.4564 0
2. 5 9.074 1.425 0.000224 0.0001571 8.6072 16.56
3. 10 18.15 2.905 0.000340 0.000170 13.0645 22.24
4. 15 27.22 4.280 0.000567 0.000132 21.787 19.64
7.6.ENGINE PERFORMANCE FOR DIESEL
S. No. Speed
(rpm)
Load
(kg)
W
Fuel
flow
(ml)
x
Time
(Sec)
t
Engine
Cooling
Water
(Lph)
Cal.
Water
(Lph)
T1/T3
Engine
Water In
(˚C)
T2 T4 T5 T6
1. 1500 0 5 32.66 1000 250 25 35 32 111 95
2. 1500 5 5 17.99 1000 250 25 37 35 181 134
3. 1500 10 5 13.56 1000 250 25 40 38 247 170
4. 1500 15 5 10.65 1000 250 25 43 40 320 218
Here, T2 is engine water in (˚C), T4 is calorimeter water out (˚C), T5 is exh in (˚C) and T6 is exh out (˚C).
Table 11. Results
S.NO. Load
(kg)
Br. Torque
(Nm)
Br. Power
(kW)
Fuel Cons.
(kg/sec)
Sp. Fuel Cons.
(kg/kW-sec)
Heat Supplied
(kV)
Brake Thermal
Eff. (%)
1. 0 0 0 0.000123 0 5.3505 0
2. 5 9.074 1.425 0.000223 0.000156 9.7005 14.68

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3. 10 18.15 2.905 0.000296 0.000102 12.876 22.56
4. 15 27.22 4.280 0.000377 0.000088 16.399 26.099
Fig 12. Variation of brake specific fuel consumption with brake power
Fig 13. Variation of brake thermal efficiency with brake power
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
BSFC(g/kWh)
Brake Power (kW)
Variation of BSFC with Brake Power
Diesel DLF
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
BSFC(g/kWh)
Brake Power (kW)
Variation of Brake Thermal Efficiency with Brake Power
Diesel DLF

Page
Fig 14. Variation of exhaust gas temperature with brake power
CONCLUSIONS
Diesel like fuel is produced and engine performance testing is done. The produced fuel is
having 38425 KJ/kg of calorific value, which is less than as compared to the calorific value of diesel
44800 KJ/kg but can be used effectively in diesel engines.
Waste engine oil can be reused as diesel like fuel and approximately 3/4th
of waste engine can be
converted to diesel like fuel easily. It can also be used for domestic purpose and in industry area.
REFERENCES
1] Thermofuel – “ Pyrolysis of waste Waste Engine Oil to produce Liquid Hydrocarbons” Dr. P.V.
Thorata, Miss. Sandhya Warulkara ,Miss.Harshal Sathone, Head of Department , Assistant Professor of
Department of ORGANIC Technology, College of engineering and technology, Akola, Maharashtra,
INDIA, ISSN 2277 – 7164
[2] Using waste Waste Engine Oil oil as a fuel by Naresh Shah and Bhogender
Sharma, Department of Chemical Engineering
[3] Waste Waste Engine Oil Pyrolysis oil Alternative Fuel for CI Engine – A Review Pawar Harshal R.
and Lawankar Shailendra M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, GCOE, Amravati, MS, INDIA,
ISSN 2278 – 9472
[4] Waste Engine Oil to oil Dipak Kumar Shaw, Pranav Sahni, Students of Mechanical Engineering, ITM
University, Gurgaon, India, ISSN: 2278-1684
[5] Waste Engine Oils pyrolysis and coal coprocesslng with waste Waste Engine Oils by M. S.
Mulgaonkar, c. H. Kuo, a. R. Tarrer of Chemical engineering department, Auburn University, Auburn.
Al-36849
[6] Converting Waste Waste Engine Oil to Gasoline-like Fuel at low temperature by Nobiyuki Mikata,
Jude Onwudiliand Paul T. Williams of Energy and Resource Research Institute, School of Process,
Materials, Environmental Engineering, University of Leeds
[7] Synthesis of Petroleum-Based Fuel from Waste Waste Engine Oils and Performance Analysis in a CI
Engine by Christine Cleetus, Shijo Thomas, and Soney Varghese of Department of Mechanical
Engineering, NIT Calicut, Kerala, India
[8] Waste Waste Engine Oil Oil as a Diesel Fuel in the Diesel Engine by Prof Nilamkumar. S. Patel, Mr.
Keyur D. Desai
[9] Pyrolysis and catalytic cracking of municipal Waste Engine Oil waste for recovery of gasoline range
hydrocarbons by Moinuddin Sarker & Saurabh Pandey of department of chemical engineering,
National institute of technology, Rourkela
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
BSFC(g/kWh)
Brake Power (kW)
Variation of Exhaust Gas Temperature with Brake Power
Diesel DLF

Page
[10] Conversion of Waste Engine Oil Wastes into Fuels by Antony Raja and Advaith Murali, Department of
Chemical Engineering, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Sriperumbudur, India, ISSN 1934-
895
[11] http://www.Waste Engine Oil2oil.com/site/home
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrolysis
[13] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste Engine Oil_recycling
[14] http://www.inspirationgreen.com/Waste Engine Oil-waste-as-fuel.html
[15] http://www.cynarplc.com/cynar-technology
[16] http://www.ntepa.nt.gov.au/waste-pollution/Waste Engine Oil-bagban/enviroimpacts

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