Investigation of Combustion Characteristics of Biodiesel and Its Blends

Abstract

Experiments employing porous sphere technique are carried out to investigate the combustion characteristics of biodiesel produced from karanja oil and its blends with diesel and gasoline. Biodiesel or its blend is transpired to porous sphere surfaces, where it burns. Porous spheres are placed in an air stream blowing with a uniform velocity at atmospheric pressure and temperature under normal gravity conditions. At low air velocities, a flame envelops the entire sphere. Fuel feed rates are recorded for various sphere sizes and air velocities. Overall, the visible flame shape is analyzed with the help of digital flame image. At a particular air velocity, the flame will not envelope the sphere, but establish near the rear region of the sphere and the same is recorded for different sphere sizes. Theoretical correlations are proposed for burning rate as a function of effective Reynolds number and for Damköhler number as a function of Froude number.

Keywords:

• Biodiesel
• Burning rate
• Critical velocity
• Infusion pump
• Karanja oil
• Porous sphere technique