Experimental Analysis of a Micro Gas Turbine Fuelled with Vegetable Oils from Energy Crops

This paper deals with the technical feasibility of the use of straight vegetable oil (SVO) as gas turbine fuels. First, this paper reports the results of the experimental characterization of different vegetable oils, derived from energy crops, and of blends of diesel and vegetable oil in different concentrations (from pure diesel to pure vegetable oil). The considered vegetable oils were obtained from different types of oilseeds (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean) and were cultivated under different agronomic scenarios. The SVO properties determined experimentally are SVO elemental composition, lower heating value, density, specific heat and viscosity, for which this paper provides a practical overview, coming both from experiments and literature data. Secondly, the paper experimentally evaluates the behavior of a Solar T-62T-32 micro gas turbine fed by vegetable oils. The vegetable oils are supplied to the micro gas turbine as blends of diesel and straight vegetable oils in different concentrations, up to pure vegetable oil. The paper describes the test rig used for the experimental activity and reports some experimental results, which highlight the effects of the different fuels on micro gas turbine performance and pollutant emissions.