Combustion and performance analysis of single cylinder DI diesel engine using Jatropha biodiesel and its blends B.

Rajendra Prasath 1,a, P. Tamil Porai 2,b, Mohd. F. Shabir 3,c, P. K. Devan 1,d, S.Vigneshvaran 4,e
1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tagore Engineering College, Chennai, India.

2

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, India.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sriram Engineering College, Chennai, India.

Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Tagore Engineering College, Chennai, India.

a

br_prasath@rediffmail.com, btporai@annauniv.edu, cffshabir2001@yahoo.co.in, d pkdevan@yahoo.com, evigneshvaran.s@gmail.com2001

Abstract: Use of biodiesel in diesel engine is becoming popular due to its advantages such as eco friendly, green fuel, low cost and most importantly it is a renewable fuel. In the recent scenario of increased diesel fuel cost and environmental issues, the use of biodiesel in internal combustion engines in transport sector provides energy security along with environmental protection. The chemically treated vegetable oil called biodiesel can be produced from either edible or non edible oils through commonly known transesterification process. In this investigation, biodiesel produced from non edible jatropha oil has been used in a single cylinder water cooled stationary diesel engine to assess the performance and emission characteristics of the engine. The performance characteristics of biodiesel are similar to that of diesel fuel operation and emission levels are lower than the diesel fuel. The use of low cost biodiesel in diesel engines leads to same power output with lower emission levels which in turn leads to a global revolution in possessing a renewable fuel at stake and also assures energy security and environmental cleanliness. Keywords: Jatropha oil, Biodiesel, Diesel Engine, Performance, Emission 1. INTRODUCTION In recent scenario of demand for fossil fuels with increase in cost, it is mandatory to find an alternate fuel for diesel engines which is playing a vital role in transportation and agricultural sector. The problems associated with the use of straight vegetable oil (SVO) in diesel engines include pumping loss, gum formation, nozzle hole clogging, ring sticking and incompatibility with lubricating oil [1]-[5] and they remain unsolved. By accounting the drawbacks associated with the use of SVO, it is found that, the chemically treated vegetable oil called biodiesel is a promising fuel, because of their properties are similar to that of diesel fuel (DF). Biodiesel produced from the non edible vegetable oil is one of the promising sources of availability at a lesser cost. In this experimental investigation, biodiesel derived from non edible jatropha oil has been used in a single cylinder, water cooled, stationary diesel engine to assess its performance potential, emission levels and the operational economy. The test results of this investigation show that, the emission levels were lowered except for oxides of nitrogen (NOx). To reduce the level of oxides of nitrogen, emission

control techniques such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) [6][8] could be adopted without affecting the engine performance. 2. BIODIESEL FROM VEGETABLE OIL As per ASTM standards, biodiesel is defined as the mono alkyl esters of long chain fatty acid derived from renewable liquid lipid feed stock such as vegetable oil or animal fats, for use in compression ignition (diesel) engines. Most vegetable oils are in the form of Triglycerides (TGs), chemically which are triglyceryl esters of various fatty acids with glycerol. The important physical and chemical properties of the biodiesel were measured and compared with ASTM standards as shown in Table 1.
Table. 1 Measured values of diesel and biodiesel fuel properties comparison with ASTM standards

Property Density @ 15C(kg/m3) Flash Point, C Kinematic Viscosity@ 40C, mm2/s Cetane Number Calorific Value (MJ/kg) 3. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION 3.1 Test engine and its specifications

ASTM Limits 100 min. 1.9-6.0 40 min. -

B100 880 170 4.6 50 42.5

B20 846 85 3.5

DF 837 65 3.2

48 47 41.7 38.5

The experimental setup and the specifications of the test engine are shown in Figure 1. The engine was coupled with an eddy current dynamometer. Exhaust gas and coolant temperatures were measured using an iron-constantan thermocouple. The engine is a single-cylinder, water-cooled, four-stroke diesel engine, with a compression ratio of 17.5: 1. It has an injection pressure of about 200 bar and timing of 24 BTDC. The bore length is 87.5 mm and stroke length is 110 cm. The engine rating power is 4.4 kW at 1500 rpm.
1.Test Engine 3. Dynamometer Controller 5.TDC Position Sensor 7.Data Acquisition System 9.Fuel Tank 11.Fuel Injector 13.Exhaust Manifold 2.Eddy Current Dynamometer 4.Piezo Electric Transducer 6.Charge Amplifier 8.Flow meter 10.Exhaust Gas Analyzer 12.Intake Manifold

Fig. 1 Experimental setup of the test engine

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The variation of brake specific fuel consumption with brake power for different fuels was presented in Figure 2. For diesel fuel, B100 and B20 it was found that brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) decreases with increase in the brake power. This higher fuel consumption was due to the combined effect of lower calorific value and high density of biodiesel fuel.

The high rate of fuel consumption for the B100 was comparable with B20 and diesel fuel. At maximum brake power condition, the brake specific fuel consumption of B100 and B20 is about 4.6% and 3.9% respectively higher than that of diesel fuel. The variation of specific energy consumption (SEC) for various fuels with brake power is shown in Figure 3. It shows that the marginal increase in energy requirement to produce unit quantity of power for biodiesel fuel due to the lower calorific value of the biodiesel. The SEC decreases with decrease the proportion of biodiesel fuel. The variation of brake thermal efficiency (BTE) with respect to brake power for different fuels were considered for the analysis has shown in Figure 3. In all cases, brake thermal efficiency has the tendency to increase with increase in brake power. The maximum efficiency is obtained for a conventional engine fuelled with diesel is about 29.06%, which is quite higher than biodiesel fuel and increases with decrease in proportion of biodiesel fuel. This is due to the reduction in heat loss to the cylinder walls. The oxygen molecule available in the biodiesel itself takes part in the reaction, which promotes the combustion process. The calorific value is acting as one of the limiting factors to estimate the thermal efficiency. This lower brake thermal efficiency is due to the comparable heat loss to the surroundings. From the analysis, it is evident that higher the exhaust temperature for biodiesel fuel indicates the lesser usage of available energy due to the higher rate of heat release during expansion.

Fig. 2 Variation of brake specific fuel consumption Fig. 3 Variation of brake thermal efficiency with with brake power brake power

Comparative analysis of emission The variation of hydrocarbons (HC) with respect to brake power for different fuels are shown in Figure 4.The high temperature due to availability of oxygen in biodiesel enhances the combustion throughout the operating condition as in the case of conventional engine. The high cylinder wall temperature due to oxygen availability allows the more number of fuel particles to participate in the combustion reaction and gets converted into the products of combustion such as carbon dioxide and water. The fuel particles accumulated in the crevice volume is reduced due to the high temperature and availability of oxygen. HC emission decreases uniformly by about 28% and 16% for B100 and B20 respectively than diesel fuel. The variation of carbon monoxide (CO) with brake power is presented in Figure 5. The fuels produce lesser amount of CO emission at lighter brake power levels and are giving higher emissions at higher brake powering conditions. The carbon monoxide emissions are found to be increasing with increase in brake power. This is typical with all internal combustion engines since the airfuel ratio decreases with increase in brake power. With increase in biodiesel percentage, CO emission level decreases. Biodiesel

has about 11% oxygen content in it. This aids for a complete combustion. Hence, CO emission level decreases with increasing biodiesel percentage in the fuel. The higher viscosity and poor atomization tendency of biodiesel prevails than diesel fuel leading to poor combustion and higher CO emission. CO emission levels, decreased by about 30% and 15.5% respectively for B100 and B20 than diesel fuel, uniformly throughout the operating condition.

Fig. 4 Variation of hydrocarbon with brake power

Fig. 5 Variation of carbon monoxide with brake power

Figure 6 shows the variation of particulate matter (PM) with engine power output. The particulate matter for B100 and B20 is higher by about 3.1% and 2.1% respectively than diesel. It is found that, the higher particulate matter for biodiesel fuel, compared with diesel fuel is due to the incomplete combustion. Figure 7 shows the variation trends of Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) with brake power. The main reason for the formation of oxides of nitrogen in an IC engine is high temperature and an availability of oxygen being abundant. In biodiesel fuel, the operating conditions are in favor of NOx species. The availability of oxygen in the fuel itself other than the oxygen available in the air enhances the NOx species formation. NOx levels increases for an engine fuelled with B100 and B20, at maximum power output condition it was about 14.5 % and 22.1% higher than the diesel fuel. The early burning of fuel air mixture of biodiesel further more promotes the NOx formation. When the expansion starts, the relatively higher temperature of gases even in the exhaust gas also increases the NOx formation.

Fig. 6 Variation of particulate matter with brake Fig. 7 Variation of oxides of nitrogen with brake power power

7. CONCLUSION The biodiesel was produced from jatropha oil by the known transesterification process, which reduces the viscosity of the oil in order to match the properties closely with diesel fuel. The comparatively low quality fuel (biodiesel) is used conventional engine without any engine design and operating variable

modification and the following result shows the operational feature of the biodiesel in diesel engine. The following conclusions were arrived at maximum power output condition. o The specific fuel consumption of B100 and B20 is about 4.6% and 3.9% respectively higher than that of diesel fuel. The maximum efficiency is obtained for conventional engine fuelled with diesel is about 29.06% which quite higher than the biodiesel fuel and increases with decreasing the proportion of biodiesel fuel. o CO emission levels were decreases about 30% and 15.5% respectively for B100 and B20 than diesel fuel uniformly throughout the operating condition. HC emission decreases uniformly by about 28% and 16% for B100 and B20 respectively than diesel fuel. o NOx levels increases for engine fuelled with B100 and B20, at maximum power output condition it was about 14.5 % and 22.1% higher than the diesel fuel. The particulate matter of B100 and B20 is higher about 3.1% and 2.1% respectively than diesel fuel. The performance characteristics of biodiesel are comparable with diesel fuel and the exhaust emissions are lowered except oxides of nitrogen. The increase in oxides of nitrogen can be reduced by means of viable techniques. The extraordinary significance and features of biodiesel fuel satisfy the energy scarcity and secure the nation. REFERENCES [1] Pryde EH. Vegetable oil as diesel fuels: overview. Papers from the symposium on vegetable oils as diesel fuels, presented at the 73rd AOCS annual meeting, Toronto, Canada. Journal of American Oil Chemical Society. 1983; 60(8). [2] Ryan TW, Dodge LG, Callahan TJ. The effects of vegetable oil properties on injection and combustion in two different diesel engines. Journal of American Oil Chemical Society. 1984, 61(10), Pg.16101619. [3] Ziejewski M, Kaufman KR. Laboratory endurance test of sunflower oil blend in a diesel engine. Journal of American Oil Chemical Society. 1983, 60(8), Pg.15671573. [4] Korus RA, Jaiduk J, Peterson CL. A rapid engine test to measure injector fouling in diesel engines using vegetable oil fuels. Journal of American Oil Chemical Society. 1985. 62(11), Pg.1563 1574. [5] Rewolinski C, Shaffer DL. Sunflower oil diesel fuel: lubrication system contamination. Journal of American Oil Chemical Society.1985, 61(7), Pg. 11201124. [6] Shailendra sinha et al Combustion characteristics of rice bran oil derived biodiesel in a transportation diesel engineSAE paper No 2005-25-354. [7] Herzog PL, Burgler L. NOx reduction strategies for DI Diesel engines. SAE paper No 920470. [8] Maramatsu G, Abe A, Yosdiha K. Catalytic reduction of NOx in Diesel exhaust. SAE paper No. 930135. Fangrui Maa, Milford A. Hannab: Biodiesel production: a review Bioresource Technology, [9] Vol No.70 , 1999, Pg. 1-15. [10] P. Chitra, P. Venkatachalam and A. Sampathrajan:, Optimisation of experimental conditions for biodiesel production from alkali-catalysed transesterification of Jatropha curcus oil, Energy for sustainable development ,Volume IX No.3,September 2005, Pg.13-18. [11] L.C. Meher, Vidya S.S. Dharmagadda, S.N. Naik, Optimization of alkali-catalyzed transesterification of Pongamia pinnata oil for production of biodiesel Bioresource Technology 97 (2006), Pg.13921397. [12] Abderrahim Bouaid, Mercedes Martinez, Jose Aracil, A comparative study of the production of ethyl esters from vegetable oils as a biodiesel fuel optimization by factorial design, Chemical Engineering Journal 134 (2007) , Pg. 9399.