Long term endurance testing of indirect injection diesel engines fueled with diesel, neat jatropha oil and their blends

Abstract

The use of straight vegetable oils (SVOs) as a fuel substitute for diesel engines for rural sector is currently being debated upon the country. Keeping in view this fact, investigations is being carried out on the use of SVOs in diesel engines at Biofuels Research Laboratory, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun. This paper is aimed at investigating the technical feasibility of using straight vegetable oils (Jatropha) and its blend in various proportions into five numbers of constant (slow) speed indirect injection (IDI) diesel engines widely used for irrigation pump sets in the country. Diesel and jatropha oil fuel blends (Diesel, 10%, 20%, 50% and 100% jatropha oil) were used to conduct long term engine endurance test as per IS:10000 on five numbers of IDI diesel engines. The performance & emission characteristics were compared vis-à-vis fossil diesel as base line in each cycle throughout the endurance test. Engine performance parameters such as fuel consumption, thermal efficiency, exhaust gas temperature and exhaust emissions (Smoke, CO, CO2, HC, NOx and O2) were recorded. Tribological analysis (wear and tear) revealed that engine fuelled with 100% jatropha oil showed comparatively less wear and tear over the entire range of endurance test. The bake specific energy consumption was observed minimum in case of neat diesel. The overall emission characteristics were found to be best for the case of engine fuelled with diesel over the entire range of long term endurance test.