Performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a single cylinder CI engine running on diesel-biodiesel-water emulsion with additive

ABSTRACT

The various researches on biodiesel and its blends as a fuel in a CI engine resulted in higher NO_x emissions compared to diesel operation. The main objective of this study is to overcome the negative aspect of significant NOx emission than HC and CO emissions in the biodiesel blended fuel by the addition of water. The water emulsion has been used in diesel engine combustion for a long time showed encouraging results, but the point of efficiency and NO_x trade-off, which is a highly challenging task for diesel engines. The objective of this study was achieved through the new blend consists of diesel- biodiesel blend (80:20 by volume), water (5% by volume), span-80 surfactant (1% by volume) and Cetane enhancing additive of Di-tertiary butyl peroxide (0.5% by volume). The chosen blend was tried in this study is unexplored. The new blend is designated as B3. Neem oil biodiesel was prepared through transesterification process. This study is to investigate the performance and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder diesel engine running on B3 fuel. The results of B3 fuel were compared with diesel (D), diesel-biodiesel blend (B1) and diesel-biodiesel with water emulsion through surfactant (B2). The conclusion reveals that B3 fuel has shown better performance intern of 17% decrease in specific energy consumption and reduction in HC and CO emissions especially NO_x emission was reduced up to 29% and 45% than diesel fuel and B1 fuel respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Biodiesel
• water emulsion
• surfactant
• additive
• emission

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sridharan G.

Sridharan G., graduated in Mechanical Engineering and obtained PG in Thermal Plant Engineering. At present, he is a research scholar in school of Mechanical Engineering at SASTRA Deemed University and doing research under the area of Alternative fuels for IC engines. He has a teaching experience of 25 years at undergraduate and postgraduate level in SASTRA University,Thanjavur.

Chandramouli R.

Chandramouli R., graduated in Mechanical Engineering in the year 1985. Subsequently he joined SASTRA as a faculty member in Mechanical Engineering. He secured a post graduate degree in Thermal Engineering in the year 1990. He was awarded Ph D degree in 2004 for his research work in the area of powder metallurgy. He has guided three research scholars and has published over 12 research articles in peer-reviewed international journals.

Mohamed Musthafa M.

Mohamed Musthafa M., graduated in Mechanical Engineering, obtained postgraduate degree in Thermal Plant Engineering and secured Ph.D from National Institute of Technology, Trichy. At present, he is at the faculty of Mechanical Engineering in SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur. He has a vast teaching experience of more than two decades at undergraduate and postgraduate level in different reputed institutions. He has large number of research publications to his credit. His area of interest includes alternative fuels for IC engines, LHR engines, combustion, heat transfer, solar. Etc.

Ashok Kumar T.

Ashok Kumar T., secured Ph.D from SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur. At present, he is a faculty of school of Mechanical Engineering, and member in Center for Bio-Energy,  at SASTRA University. He has a teaching experience of more than 25 years at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in different institutions.He has large number of research publications to his credit. His research area is Exergy analysis of thermal systems.