Factors influencing NOx emission of a stationary diesel engine fuelled with crude rice bran oil methyl ester blend – Taguchi approach

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to control the NOx emission of a stationary diesel engine fuelled with crude rice bran oil methyl ester blend with less sacrifice on smoke density and brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and also to investigate the factors influencing the objective. Fuel injection timing, percentage of exhaust gas recirculation and fuel injection pressure are chosen as the promising factors for the objective and NOx emission, smoke density and BTE are considered as response variables. Tests were conducted as per Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array and the most influencing factor for each response variable and also the significance of each factor on the same was found out through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Response graph was drawn for each response variable and from the results of response graph and ANOVA the optimum combination of the factor levels in achieving the objective was obtained and the same was confirmed experimentally.