Influence of n-butanol on combustion phenomenon of a compression ignition engine fuelled with methyl esters of cottonseed and algal oil

Abstract

This comparative study aims at experimental investigation on the combustion behaviour of a single-cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine using oxygenated blends of algal and cottonseed biodiesel. The algal oil is extracted by a solvent-extraction method using a Soxhlet apparatus and the cottonseed oil is procured from the local market. Base-catalysed transesterification using sodium hydroxide and methanol yield their respective methyl esters, and the physiochemical properties are found to be comparable with diesel and within American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) limits. The test fuels formulated for the study are D80CBD20, D80ABD20, D80CBD20nB10 and D80ABD20nB10. The combustion phenomenon displayed higher in-cylinder pressure and rate of heat release for oxygenated blended biodiesel than for other fuel blends. This is due to its shorter ignition delay and improved premixed combustion phase. D80CBD20nB10 and D80ABD20nB10 also displayed earlier start of combustion. The higher cetane number and calorific value of the oxygenated fuel blends improved the rate of heat release and cumulative heat release considerably. The oxygenated blends also exhibited a higher rate of pressure rise with comparable trends. Based on this investigation, blending of n-butanol up to 10% with algal biodiesel produces improved combustion behaviour of the CI engine.

Keywords:

• Combustion
• Stoechospermum marginatum
• fatty acid methyl ester
• cottonseed
• n-butanol

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.