ANALISIS KARAKTERISTIK NYALA API DIFUSI BIOETANOL UMBI PORANG (AMORPHOPHALLUS ONCOPHYLLUS) DENGAN CAMPURAN PERTALITE

Abstract

The increasing need for fuel, decreasing petroleum reserves, and increasing air pollution due to its combustion have led to various efforts to look for alternative fuels, one of which is bioethanol. The aim of this research is to analyze the fuel characteristics (density, viscosity, heating value, and flash point) and the diffusion flame of porang tuber biopertalite. The method used is a diffusion combustion experiment using a stainless steel plate furnace. Variations of pertalite bioethanol (E0, E10, E20, E30, E40, E50, E60, E70, and E100) with volume of 1 ml. Test carbohydrate content using standards (SNI 01-2891-1922), ethanol content (ASTM D5501), and fuel characteristics (ASTM D1298 for density, ASTM D1343 for viscosity, ASTM D240 for heating value, and ASTM D93 for flash point). To get flame picture using  camera, burning time using video player, temperature using  thermometer, height and color of flame using ImageJ software. The porang tubers used have carbohydrate content of 41,99% and the bioethanol has ethanol content of 99,35%, density of 798,4 kg/m³, viscosity of 1,204 mPa.s, heating value of 4979 cal/g, and a flash point of 13°C. The research results showed that the best fuel characteristics were the lowest density at E0 which was 745,5 kg/m³ because influenced by the hygroscopic properties or water content of bioethanol, the lowest viscosity at E0 which was 0,460 mPa.s because influenced by the polar nature of the hydroxyl group (-OH) of bioethanol, the highest heating value at E0 which was 10593 cal/g because influenced by the greater amount of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) pertalite, the highest flash point at E100 which was 13°C because influenced by the polar nature of the hydroxyl group (-OH) and the water content of bioethanol, and the best flame is E100 because influenced by the lowest flame so low emissions and dominant color is blue so combustion is more perfect.

Keywords: diffusion flame, bioethanol, porang tubers, pertalite.