Synergistic Effect of Pine Oil and Eucalyptus Oil on the Performance of a Compression Ignition Engine

Abstract

ABSTRACT Many biofuels extracted from the trees can be directly used as a fuel without any major treatment processes. Among these biofuels the pine and eucalyptus oil have low viscosity and other properties similar to fossil diesel. In the present experimental study the feasibility of using the combination of both the fuels as a blend in diesel is investigated. The viscosity, boiling point and flash point of both the pine and eucalyptus oil were observed to be lower than conventional diesel. Also, the calorific values of these oil biofuels are comparable to diesel. In the present study, various blends of pine and eucalyptus oil viz., P10E10D80, P15E15D70, P5E5D90, P50E50, P20D80, and E20D80 blends were tested in a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection diesel engine for the combustion, emissions and performance characteristics. The results show that at full load condition, the blend of P10E10D80 oil reduces EGT (exhaust gas temperature), HC (hydrocarbon). CO (carbon monoxide) and smoke emissions by 17%, 14.7%, 13%, 20.14%, respectively. The brake thermal efficiency and maximum heat release rate increase by 5.2% and 13%, respectively. However, the NOx (oxides of nitrogen) emission is higher 8.79% than that of diesel fuel at full load condition. The experimental work reveals that the blend of P10E10D80 possesses significantly improved fuel characteristics and can be directly used in diesel engine. Abbreviations: D100: Diesel 100% (Neat oil); P20+D80: Pine20 % +Diesel 80%; P10+E10+ D80: Pine10 %+ Eucalyptus10%+ Diesel 80%; P15+E15 +D70: Pine15 %+ Eucalyptus15%+Diesel 70%; P5+E5 +D90: Pine5%+ Eucalyptus5% +Diesel 90%; P50+EU50: Pine50 %+ Eucalyptus 50%; EU20+D80: Eucalyptus20%+ Diesel 80%; BTE: Brake thermal efficiency; BSEC: Brake specific energy consumption; HC: Hydrocarbon; CO: Carbon monoxide; NOx: Oxide of nitrogen; HRR: heat release rate; ID: Ignition delay; 0C/A: Degree crank angle; BMEP: Brake mean effective pressure; TDC: Top dead centre ; GC-MS: gas chromatography mass spectrometry; Surface tension: mN/m; Calorific value : (MJ/Kg); Flash point: Degree centigrade; density: Kg/m3; Kinematic viscosity: mm2/s; M.F: Molecular formula