Experimental Investigation on 4-Stroke Diesel Engine Using Waste Cooking Oil Biodiesel Fuel

Abstract

Due to using of fossil fuels, the world today is faced with serious environmental pollution. However, these fuels are limited and depleting day by day as the consumption is increasing very rapidly. Hence, it is necessary to find out a clean alternative fuel produced from renewable sources. Biodiesel production and applications are gaining popularity in recent times due to diminishing petroleum reserves and detrimental environmental impacts. Edible and non-edible oils are trans-esterified in the presence alcohol and a suitable catalyst to prepare the esters of the corresponding alcohol, commonly called as biodiesel. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be used directly in diesel engine as pure or blended with diesel fuel. In this analysis, the effects of biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil (WCO) and its different blends with diesel fuel on the diesel engine torque and power, carbon monoxide(CO), hydrocarbons HC), oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) and particulate matter (PM) emissions, brake- specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and brake thermal efficiency are analyzed and presented. Use of WCO biodiesel results in advanced start of injection, advanced combustion process, shorter ignition delay and increased heat release rate. Thus, higher cylinder peak pressure and temperature lead to increase NO x while PM is reduced. Although, the increase of the WCO percentage in the fuel blend reduces the engine torque and power, the results show some torque and power recovery for this reduction. The lower heating value of WCO results in increased BSFC but the engine brake thermal efficiency is not affected significantly.