Experimental investigation on performance and emission characteristics of algae oil biodiesel with methanol additive in CI engine

Abstract

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels, the world is moving towards alternate fuels or resources. Algae is the most abundant and easily available food source in the world. This will be enough to meet the future fuel requirement. Though using pure algae biofuel is not feasible. Initially, the proper proportion of algae to diesel is to be fixed. The efficiency of mixing diesel and oil with algae and methanol in certain quantities is analyzed to improve the performance and pollution of diesel engines. An algae biodiesel with a methanol blend in three proportions, such as B10, B20 and B30 is taken. In this investigation, B10 (90% + Diesel + Algae oil 7.5% + Methanol 2.5%) and B20 (Diesel 80% + Algae Oil 15% + Methanol 5%) and B30 (70% Diesel + Algae 22.5% + Methanol 7.5%) are taken for the experimental tests and performed on a diesel engine. The blends of B10, B20, B30 is given as input to the CI engine and various performance parameters like brake power, torque, mean effective pressure and etc., are considered in this analysis. The effects of various pollutants like HC, CO, CO2 and NOx emissions were compared to diesel fuel emission. B20 biodiesel is very close to pure diesel fuel performance as compared with B10 and B30. There is slight increase in HC and CO emissions but NOx emission is reduced considerably for all blends.