Influence of the process parameters for the industrially relevant reaction of free fatty acid (FFA) with glycerol is investigated. Furthermore, several drying techniques are investigated and a novel method is suggested that can provide more realistic experimental conditions. Silica as an absorbent is found to be a more suitable method for water removal than distillation or carrier gas. Using response surface methodology, important parameters are identified and optimal conditions found. Empirical correlation is developed to account for the most important parameters. Both oil:glycerol ratio and temperature have optimal values for which the highest conversion can be achieved. Interestingly, the highest conversion can be obtained at 220°C; above this temperature the conversion decreases. It is found that the influence of oil:glycerol ratio also exhibits anomalous behavior, where conversion is constant and decreases above a certain value. At optimal conditions, the FFA is reduced to 1.6% from the initial 8.6%.

Rapid growth in the energy consumption has conditioned the need for discovering the alternative energy resources which would be adapted to the existing engine constructions and which would satisfy the additional criteria related to the renewability, ecology and reliability of use. Introduction of biodiesel has been the focus of attention over the last ten years. The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of biodiesel on the performances and exhaust gas emissions of medium power agricultural tractor engines (37-66 kW). The reason for the selection of this category is that those types of tractors are most frequently used in agriculture. In this research biodiesel produced from sunflower oil was blended with fossil diesel. Biodiesel, fossil diesel and fossil diesel blends with 15, 25, 50 and 75%v/v biodiesel were tested for their influence on the engine performances and emissions. The testing was performed on a four-cylinder diesel engine with 48 kW rated power. The experimental research on the engine performances was conducted in compliance with OECD test CODE 2, and the exhaust gas emissions were tested according to the ISO 8178-4, C1. The use of biodiesel and fossil diesel blends reduced the engine power with the increase of biodiesel share in the blend. However, the exception was the blend with 15%v/v biodiesel which induced a slight increase in the engine power. Depending on the share of biodiesel in the blend all blends fuels showed increased specific fuel consumption compared to the fossil diesel. Thermal efficiency increased as a result of more complete combustion of biodiesel and fossil diesel blends. The exhaust gas emissions implied that the addition of biodiesel reduced the content of CO2 and CO, as well as the temperature of exhaust gases, but it increased the emission of NOx