CHARACTERIZATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF POLANGA OIL DIESEL IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLE ADDITIVE FUEL BLENDS FOR DIESEL ENGINE

Abstract

The increasing demand for energy, climate change and diminishing of petroleum resources had led to the search for alternate renewable fuel. Non-edible vegetable oils are considered as a substitute for diesel engine to minimize food security problem. Vegetable oils pose problems like poor atomization, carbon deposits etc., when subjected to usage in compression ignition engines because of their high viscosity, acid value and low volatility. In this research work performance of polanga oil - diesel (Calophyllum Inophyllum L) blends with iron oxide nanoparticles (50 nm) additive in a diesel engine are studied and presented. Lowering of viscosity and acid value of polanga oil is achieved by blending it with diesel fuel. Iron oxide nanoparticles additive is added to enhance the performance of polanga oil - diesel blends. Experimental study of nano fuel blends is carried out after preliminary feasibility study. newlineThe various blends of polanga oil (5% to 30% vol) and diesel with iron oxide nano additive (100ppm to 500 ppm sigma Aldrich brand) with 50 nm size are prepared and its physico chemical properties are evaluated and compared with that of diesel. Most of the blend properties are in close agreement with diesel. The blends are then subjected to engine performance, emission and combustion tests and with that of diesel. The acquired data are presented in bar charts and analyzed for various parameters such as brake thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumption, exhaust gas temperature, smoke opacity, NOx, HC, CO2, CO, O2, heat release rate and air-fuel ratio and discussed in relation to diesel fuel operations. While operating the engine on nanofuel blends, performance, combustion parameters are found to be similar to diesel and emission parameters are lower than diesel and within pollution limit due to the influence of iron oxide nanoparticles at 80% engine full load conditions. Two blends gave equal performance to that of diesel. newline