Environment‐friendly fuel Cymbopogon flexuosus: Analysis of fuel properties, performance, and emission parameters of a Direct Injection Compression Ignition research engine

Abstract

AbstractThe novelty of this study discusses on the influence of neat lemongrass oil (LGO) on fuel analysis, performance and emission analysis, naturally aspirated diesel engine. The critical parameters include iodine value, flash point, kinematic viscosity, saponification and cetane numbers, calorific value, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC‐MS) studies were investigated. The oxygenated elements, such as naphthalene, caryophyllene, pentadecanoic acid, dihydropyridine, d‐limonene are observed using GC‐MS analysis. The higher hydrocarbon (HC) chain length indicates a rise in energy density and boiling point with a reduction of volatility. Using FT‐IR analysis, C–H stretching vibrations are found at a frequency of 1672 cm−1. The C≐C stretching vibrations at 1740 cm−1 reveals the availability of the alkenes/fingerprint phase. Experiments were conducted at four different volumetric blend ratios of LGO‐diesel blends at typical injection parameters under different loading conditions. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) decreased for all the test combinations of LGO than diesel. BTE is observed as 30.79% at diesel, 30.06% at LGO25, 28.71% at LGO50, 27.77% at LGO75%, and 27.23% at LGO100. The cylinder pressure and heat release rate increased proportionately with the LGO fuel mixture. Carbon monoxide, HC, and smoke emissions are reduced by LGO mixtures than diesel at the full load of the engine. It was noted that greater blends of LGO and diesel resulted in increased nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and engine tribological characteristics. The NOx is increased by 21.2% at LGO25, 24.3% at LGO50, 26.5% at LGO75 and 30.8% at LGO100 when compared with diesel. Without any chemical processing, Cymbopogon flexuosus oil can be blended directly with diesel fuel.