Operating Characteristics of a Variable Compression Ratio Engine Using Esterified Tamanu Oil

Abstract

The operating characteristics of a single-cylinder four-stroke variable compression ratio engine fueled with esterified tamanu oil were investigated. The suitability of esterified Tamanu oil produced from pinnai oil by transesterification process has been studied in variable compression ratio engine. Experiment has been conducted at various loads like 0 kg, 3 kg, 6 kg, 9 kg, and 12 kg with engine speed of 1500 rpm and at compression ratio varies from 14:1 to 18:1. The impact of compression ratio on fuel consumption, combustion parameters, and exhaust gas emissions is investigated. In order to vary the compression ratio, the clearance volume is changed geometrically by tilting cylinder block arrangement. The performance characteristics like specific fuel consumption, brake power, mean effective pressure, brake thermal efficiencies, and exhaust gas temperature are analyzed for Tamanu oil in the variable compression ratio engine. The emission characteristics like hydrocarbon, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide emissions are also measured for Tamanu oil in the same engine. The effect of intake valve closing event-timing modulation on effective compression ratio was also investigated. The motivation behind this analysis was to fix the effective compression ratio for biodiesel.

Keywords:

• Biodiesel
• Esterified tamanu oil
• Compression ratio
• VCR engine
• Transesterification

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Vice Chancellor of SASTRA UNIVERSITY for his support through Research and Modernization funded project, sanctioned to variable compression ratio engine. The research work has been carried out in this test rig.