EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE AND EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF A UNMODIFIED CI ENGINE WITH BLENDS OF DIESEL, BIODIESEL AND DECANOL

Abstract

Biodiesel is a potential alternative fuel for CI engines as it has the potential to reduce dependence on diesel as well as it reduces emission significantly. Out of many biodiesels derived from various resources, Biodiesel from Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) can be prepared economically using transesterification process. In context to present work, the biodiesel is manufactured in two stages due to high free fatty acid (FFA) of waste cooking oil. The blends of diesel, waste cooking oil methyl ester (WCOME) and Decanol are studied and performed experimentally in CI engine. The physico-chemical properties of test fuels are found different than vegetable oils due to which the performance of theengine is improved. In past few years, high wastage of cooking oil is produced by fast food chains and five-star hotels especially in developed countries and metro cities. Alcohol is also one of the potentialbiofuels which can be used in IC engine. The properties of Decanol is compared with primary alcohols and found that the performance characteristics are comparable with baseline diesel fuel. Due to high carbon rating of decanol, it shows properties similar to petroleum products.Most of the researchers haveinvestigated the performance and emission characteristics in CI engine by using alcohols up to 6 carbon chain blended with diesel. A little quantum of work has been done on higher alcohols and their blends. The physico-chemical properties of test fuels are found satisfactorily within the limits of ASTM and other standards. The research was comprised of fuel blend development and a set of exhaustive engine trail for performance and emission studies. Various test fuels for the engine trial were W5D5, W5D10, W10D10, W15D10 and W15D15 with 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% volume wise substitution of mineral diesel by Waste cooking oil methyl ester and decanol. The results indicated higher engine performance for all test fuels except W15D15. The emission of carbon monoxide, total hydrocarbon emission and smoke of test fuels were lower than mineral diesel. However, emission of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) was increased with increase in WCOME volume fraction in the test fuel.