Effect of molecular weights of fatty acid esters on cetane numbers as diesel fuels

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Abstract
Cetane numbers for various esters of the saturated fatty acids from C8 to C18 have been determined according to ASTM D‐613. For the methyl esters the cetane numbers were found to increase in a non‐linear relationship with the chain length of the fatty acid. Cetane numbers of esters in which the fatty acid is kept constant while the alcohol esterified is altered also increased with the molecular weight of the ester. However, increases in the molecular weight of the fatty acid portion of the ester produce greater increases in cetane number than the same change in molecular weight in the alcohol portion of the ester. Except for the esters of octanoic acid, all of the esters tested had cetane numbers above the value of 40, which is specified as the minimum cetane number for commercial diesel fuel.

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