Comparative performance analysis of diesel engine fuelled with hydrogen enriched edible and non-edible biodiesel

Abstract

In the present study, a comparative analysis of enrichment of hydrogen alongside diesel fuel and two different sources of biodiesel namely rice bran oil is an edible oil, and karanja oil being non-edible is tested. Hydrogen at a fixed flow rate of 7 lpm is inducted through the intake manifold. A total of six fuel samples are considered: diesel (D), hydrogen-enriched diesel (D + H2), hydrogen-enriched 10, and 20% rice bran biodiesel blend (RB10 + H2 and RB20 + H2), and hydrogen-enriched 10 and 20% karanja biodiesel blend (KB10 + H2 and KB20 + H2). Results indicate that enrichment of hydrogen improves combustion and results in 2.5% and 1.6% increase in the brake thermal efficiency of diesel fuel and rice bran biodiesel, respectively. For karanja biodiesel the increment is negligible. Fuel consumption of the D + H₂ is 6.35% lower and for RB10 + H₂ and KB10 + H₂ it is decreased by 2.9% and 1.3%, respectively. The Presence of hydrogen shows the 4–38% lower CO emissions and 6–14% lower UHC emission due to better combustion. The blends RB10 + H₂ and KB10 + H₂ produce up to 6–13% higher NOx emission and that for the blends RB20 + H₂ and KB20 + H₂ it goes up to 25%. Overall rice bran oil is found to provide better performance than karanja biodiesel.