Evaluation of Performance of a CI Engine Fueled With Biodiesel Produced from Unused Algae

Abstract

Abundant availability and easy culture process of algae make it a better resource than other vegetable crops for biodiesel production. The oil (with 21% FFA content) extracted from the unused, mixed culture of algae in this experiment was used to produce biodiesel by an' acid esterification followed by alkaline esterification' procedure. After confirming the properties of the biodiesel to be within the limit of ASTM standard, three biodiesel blends (B10, B20 and B30) were used in an internal combustion engine (Four stroke single cylinder VCR engine) and the performance of the engine was observed at different engine loads (0%, 20%, 40%, 80%, 100%, 120%). The little higher brake specific fuel consumption (0.22kg/KWh, 0.25 kg/KWh, 0.26kg/KWh and 0.21kg/KWh respectively for B10, B20, B30 and petro-diesel at overload condition), lower brake power (3.41 kW, 3.37 kW, 3.25 kW, 3.39 kW for diesel, B10, B20 and B30 respectively for B10, B20, B30 and petro-diesel) and mechanical efficiency (63.34, 51.43%, 52.06% and 51.43% for petro-diesel, B10, B20 and B30 respectively) for biodiesel blends took place which might be the results of lower calorific value (40800 kJ/kg), higher density (875.27kg/m3) and viscosity (3.14 mm2/s) of the algal biodiesel than diesel.