Scientists who have been
running the four-stroke diesel
engine of a light pick-up truck on
coconut oil for the past one year
have approached the union
government to commercialize the
biofuel.
The scientists are attached to the
Kochi-based SCMS Institute of
Bioscience and Biotechnology
Research and Development and the
SCMS School of Engineering and
Technology.
While the manufacturers of the Tata
Ace claim mileage of 16 km to a litre
of diesel, the vehicle can run 22.5
km per litre of the biofuel, the
scientists say.
"We purchased this brand new
vehicle a year back. By now, it has
done 20,000 km and has proved
beyond doubt that coconut oil can
replace diesel. We can provide this
product at Rs.40 a litre," C.
Mohankumar, who heads the team of
six scientists, told IANS.
Mohankumar said they have already
applied for a US patent and also
approached the union ministry of
renewable energy to take this biofuel
to its logical conclusion by
commercialising it.
"The emission levels are lower than
other forms of biodiesel, making it a
very eco-friendly product too," said
Mohankumar.
Explaining the process, he said 760
litres of biofuel can be produced
from the oil of 10,000 coconuts.
"There are also five other by-
products. This includes 5,000 kg of
husk, 2,500 kg of coconut shells,
1,250 litres of coconut water, around
1,200 kg of cake (that can be used
as cattle feed) and 70 litres of
glycerol."
"Each of these products has a
market value and that's how we are
able to commercially supply this
biodfuel at Rs.40 a litre,"
Mohankumar said.
"We have conducted numerous tests
on this coconut biofuel that are for
anyone to see. It shows that all the
parameters are much lower than
other biodiesel products," he added.
The study was published in the
December 2014 issue of the journal
'Fuel'.
Coconut Development Board (CDB)
Chairman TK Jose said he had
studied the performance of the
vehicle that the scientists have been
using.
"We (CDB) don't have the funds for
taking forward their innovation and
hence they have approached the
centre. I have gone through all their
reports on the biofuel. The emission
levels are much less than other
similar products," Jose told IANS.
Indian scientists turn coconut oil into biofuel-TechNews - IBNLive Mobile
