AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON CI-ENGINE USING MADHUCA BLENDS

Abstract

Consumption of fossil fuels has created a demand for the alternative renewable source of energy. In the latter studies it is prominently revealed that the fossil fuel will undergo a depletion in the future lines accompanied with the major drawback was their main participation in polluting the environmental aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to bring out a replacement of the fossil fuel with the significant usage of biodiesel. Henceforth, we have conducted a study on the performance characteristics of a diesel engine using Madhuca Indica oil by transesterification process. The process typically includes the extraction of oil from the seeds followed by the initial purification of the oil. Esterification process was then carried out with the oil and methanol in the molar ratio 1:6 with 2% of acid catalyst (H2SO4) and headed with transesterification process with the involvement of oil and methanol in the volumetric ratio 1/3rd along with 4% of heterogeneous catalyst (CaO). The product hence obtained from the above procedure was left for settling and finally the residue was separated and biodiesel was obtained. Different blends of biodiesel were prepared (B10, B20, B30 and B40) and the performance characteristic of diesel engine was carried out with each of the above blends and the readings were obtained. The various engine parameters found were Brake power, specific fuel consumption, thermal efficiency and mechanical efficiency of the engine. The results hence obtained from the different blends were compared with that of the petroleum diesel and a performance graph was successfully plotted. Lastly, the emission test was suitably conducted and the emission percentage of HC, CO, CO2 and NOx were recorded.