Effect of injection timing on the combustion characteristics of rice bran and algae biodiesel blends in a compression-ignition engine

Abstract

Fuel injection timing is a very important factor among various injection parameters which influences the combustion characteristics of a compression-ignition (CI) engine. This work used a single cylinder CI engine to test the two biodiesel samples rice bran oil methyl esters (ROME) and alga extracted oil methyl esters (AME) for their combustion characteristics influenced by injection timings. The tests were conducted at constant speed (1500 rpm) single cylinder CI engine with three different injection timings (20° before top dead centre [BTDC], 23° BTDC and 26° BTDC). The results show increased cylinder pressure and heat release rate when advancing the injection timing at earlier combustion stages. When retarding the injection timing the cylinder pressure and the heat release rate lowers. Compare to AME, the combustion characteristics for ROME shown improved results. The variations in exhaust gas temperature are also depicted.