Optimized Grapeseed Biodiesel Production and its Effect on the CI engines Combustion Characteristics at Variable Compression Ratios

Abstract

The present investigation aims at optimizing the biodiesel production of Grape seed bio-oil. Modelling proficiencies like Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Interference System, Artificial Neural Network and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approaches are used to assess the optimal biodiesel yield by considering the input variable parameters like molar ratio, reaction time and catalyst concentration. Two-stage transesterification process is deployed using sodium hydroxide and methanol. The RSM predicted optimized grape seed biodiesel yield was noticed as 97.62% at 1.045 g/g catalyst concentration, 1.11 hr. reaction duration and 0.2758 v/v molar ratios which were in correlation with the actual yield. Further, the obtained grape seed biodiesel is amalgamated with n-butanol (20%) and Di-ethyl carbonate (10%) to understand its efficacy on the combustion characteristics of the compression ignition engine at variable compression ratios of 17, 17.5 and 18. The outcomes including the in-cylinder pressure, rate of heat release, rate of pressure rise, cumulative heat release, mean gas temperature and mass fraction burnt of the oxygenated fuel blends were compared with straight diesel and diesel – grape seed biodiesel blends.