Experimental investigation of the combustion characteristics of a biodiesel (rice-bran oil methyl ester)-fuelled direct-injection transportation diesel engine

Abstract

Increased environmental awareness and depletion of fossil petroleum resources are driving industry to develop alternative fuels that are environmentally more acceptable. Transesterified vegetable oil derivatives called ‘biodiesel’ appear to be the most convenient way of utilizing bio-origin vegetable oils as substitute fuels in diesel engines. The methyl esters of vegetable oils do not require significant modification of existing engine hardware. Previous research has shown that biodiesel has comparable performance and lower brake specific fuel consumption than diesel with significant reduction in emissions of CO, hydrocarbons (HC), and smoke but slightly increased NO_x emissions. In the present experimental research work, methyl ester of rice-bran oil is derived through transesterification of rice-bran oil using methanol in the presence of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) catalyst. Experimental investigations have been carried out to examine the combustion characteristics in a direct injection transportation diesel engine running with diesel, biodiesel (rice-bran oil methyl ester), and its blends with diesel. Engine tests were performed at different engine loads ranging from no load to rated (100 per cent) load at two different engine speeds (1400 and 1800 r/min). A careful analysis of the cylinder pressure rise, heat release, and other combustion parameters such as the cylinder peak combustion pressure, rate of pressure rise, crank angle at which peak pressure occurs, rate of pressure rise, and mass burning rates was carried out. All test fuels exhibited similar combustion stages as diesel; however, biodiesel blends showed an earlier start of combustion and lower heat release during premixed combustion phase at all engine load-speed combinations. The maximum cylinder pressure reduces as the fraction of biodiesel increases in the blend and, at higher engine loads, the crank angle position of the peak cylinder pressure for biodiesel blends shifted away from the top dead centre in comparison with baseline diesel data. The maximum rate of pressure rise was found to be higher for diesel at higher engine loads; however, combustion duration was higher for biodiesel blends.