MGO-BIODIESEL BLEND AS ALTERNATIVE TO ULSD FOR MARINE ENGINES

With the implementation of sulfur reduction requirement in European Union, California Air Resource board and MARPOL Annex VI Regulation, mandated the commercial vessels to operate on 0.05% sulfur diesel oil. This Low sulfur distillates fuels are produced through a method known as hydro-desulphurization. This process inevitably reduces the lubricity of fuel significantly. These deficiencies are problematic not just for fuel pump integrity, but also for proper diesel engine operation. In this work in order to reduce the sulfur to the regulation requirement and also to overcome the possible effects of ULSD, 20% by volume MOME, POME is blended with MGO to bring down the sulfur below 0.1%. Frictional and wear characteristics verified using 4 ball wear tester and compared with ULSD. During wear test, frictional torque and coefficient of friction recorded. Wear scars in tested ball were investigated by optical microscopy and the results discussed. And also the suitability of this blend for marine diesel engine verified as alternative to ULSD by comparing Physio-chemical properties as per ISO 8217.