Evaluation of performance and emission characeristics of heterotrophic chlorella protothecoides microalgae biodiesel and its blends with diesel in a direct injection diesel engine.

Abstract

At present research in biofuels for internal combustion engines received a lot of attention because the fossil fuels are depleting in nature and also due to their exhaust emissions they imposing threats like global warming, acid rain etc on environment. The use of biofuels derived from plant biomass in internal combustion engines can reduce the global warming and other hazards on environment, but the difficulty associated with these fuels is the feed stocks, fertile land requirement for their growth resulting in shortage of fertile land for cultivating food crops. So algae are the best alternative promising biofuel resourc energy. Particularly microalgae are most reliable source of biofuel because they are non edible, and they does not require fertile land for their growth. Hence, Accordingly, in this research work Heterotrophic chlorella prothecoides microalgae biodiesel, diesel and their blends are tested with a DI diesel engine to study the performance and emission characteristics. The experimental study shown that, compared to Petroleum diesel the Heterotrophic chlorella protothecoides microalgae biodiesel produces lesser emissions. Heterotrophic chlorella protothecoides microalgae biodiesel B100 shown a reduction of 2.85,2.89, 3.15, 20, 4.67 and 13.54 % in, torque, brake power, brake thermal efficiency, CO, CO2 and NOx, respectively and an increase of 11.81 and 15.96 % in O2 and bsfc, respectively compared to petroleum diesel.