Effect of Fuel Oxygen Content on the Performance of a CI Engine Operating on Soapnut Biodiesel Blends

B. P. Pattanaik; J. Jena; R. D. Misra

Authors

B. P. Pattanaik Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Silchar, Silchar–788010, Assam
J. Jena Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gandhi Institute for Education and Technology, Khurda–752060, Odisha
R. D. Misra Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Silchar, Silchar–788010, Assam

Keywords:

Soapnut biodiesel, diesel engine, engine performance, NOx emissions, fuel oxygen content

Abstract

In the present work,18 numbers of soapnut biodiesel-diesel blends along with soapnut oil as additive in some cases were used in a compression ignition engine forcomparative assessment of the effect of fuel blends on the engine performance. Considering the large variations in oxygen content of the fuel blends it was opted as the basis for the study. Results showed that the best engine performance is achieved with oxygen content in the fuel blends in the range 1.8–3.0%. The emission results showed that the best engine emission is obtained for oxygen content in the fuel blends in the range 0.71–2.37%. Considering engine performance and emissions, the critical zone of oxygen content was found to be in the range 1.8– 2.37%. The fuel blends having oxygen content within this critical zone, i.e. fuel blend nos. 8–13 were found to be best with higher engine performance and lower exhaust emissions.