Evaluating the Potency of Kerosene-Biodiesel Blend as a Sustainable Source of Fuel for Cooking

This study evaluated the performance characteristics of biodiesel–kerosene blends as a sustainable and cleaner alternatives to traditional kerosene fuel. Biodiesel was produced from desert date seeds sing solvent extraction and base-catalyzed transesterification. The resulting biodiesel was blended with kerosene in varying proportions (BBK0, BBK5, BBK10, BBK15, BBK20, and BB100), and tested using a standard water boiling test to determine key performance metrics. Experimental evaluations revealed that increasing the proportion of biodiesel in the fuel blend led to longer boiling times, with BBK0 (100% kerosene) boiling 1 liter of water in 25 minutes, while BB100 (100% biodiesel) required 33 minutes. Specific fuel consumption increased from 246.3 g/kWh to 284 g/kWh as biodiesel content rose, primarily due to biodiesel’s lower calorific value. Correspondingly, thermal efficiency declined from 35.8% for BBK0 to 30.9% for BB100, and fire power dropped from 1.50 kW to 0.92 kW. Burning and evaporation rates also decreased with higher biodiesel concentrations, reflecting slower and less intense combustion. Flame characteristics changed progressively with increased biodiesel content. A shift from blue to yellow-orange flame hues indicated a decline in combustion efficiency. However, smoke emissions significantly decreased at higher biodiesel concentrations, suggesting improved combustion cleanliness. BBK0 and BBK5 produced high smoke levels, whereas BB100 exhibited very low emissions. Flame height and temperature decreased as biodiesel content increased, further confirming reduced combustion intensity.