ORIGINAL: yourmightyruler
Hello all,
I am currently a chemical engineering student at University of Colorado - Boulder. We are competing in a competition where we need to design a vehicle the size of a shoebox which will travel a specified distance and carry a specified load.
We are looking at to use a model diesel engine which will run biodiesel produced from algae which we will grow synthesize. Our research indicates that we need to blend the fuel with castor oil and diethyl ether. However, diethyl ether is a ''4'' on the NFPA flammability rating, which is banned competition. Is there a less volatile chemical that we can use?
What does diethyl ether do for the engine? Our hypothesis is that the diethyl ether is a compound which will reduce the viscosity of fuel.
Thanks in advance,
Louis
Have you ever asked yourself what the difference is between a Sportsman and a Competitor? A sportsman reads the rules to see what the rules say. A Competitor looks at the rules to see what the rules DON'T say.
Go back and look at your rules to see the verbiage on the fuel. The way I would look at it is that if the vehicle cannot contain fuel with Ether in it, then I would start it on ether fuel from a separate tank and then switch to straight kero/castor/DII fuel once it was warm. You only need the ether to get it started.