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This study sought to investigate techniques for lowering diesel engine emissions by using waste seed as an alternative energy source in place of conventional fossil fuels. This study thoroughly investigated the process of transesterifying waste seed oil obtained from Bauhinia purpurea linn for use as fuel in a common rail direct injection (CRDI) diesel engine. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) nanoparticles serve as a combustion enhancer. The engine outcome metrics were analyzed using diesel, Bauhinia purpurea linn biodiesel (BPLB) and BPLB-BHT blends (BPLB + 10μm BHT 10 ppm and BPLB + 20μm BHT 10 ppm) without changing the operating circumstances. At full brake power, the BPLB + 10μm BHT 10 ppm mix outperformed the BPLB and BPLB + 20μm BHT 10 ppm blends, but fell short of diesel. The BPLB + 10μm BHT 10 ppm blend reduced smoke opacity by 39.14%, hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by 42.71%, carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 59.03% and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions by 12.29% compared to neat diesel fuel at maximum brake power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual fueling is a successful model in the engine combustion area which perks up the performance and emission fronts. The combined effect of using biodiesel and gas dual fueling shall address the problem associated with emissions and depletion of fossil fuels. Fuel derived from Annona squamosa seeds is a creditable biofuel, which is resulted from waste seeds. This paper characterizes the gaseous exhaust emission and performance model of a dual-fueled, direct injection diesel engine fueled with ethane as gaseous fuel and Annona squamosa biodiesel as the base and liquid fuel. Ethane is supplied with air in the intake manifold at different flow rates (five lpm and ten lpm). Ethane supply at ten lpm lowered HC emissions by seven ppm, CO by 0.4% and smoke emission by 0.2 BSU for biodiesel. In addition, ethane supply to biodiesel lowered the BSFC by 13 kg/kW-h and enhanced the efficiency by 0.4%. Hence, dual-fueling ethane is an effective technique for improving the usage of biofuels in diesel engine applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novelty of this study discusses on the influence of neat lemongrass oil (LGO) on fuel analysis, performance and emission analysis, naturally aspirated diesel engine. The critical parameters include iodine value, flash point, kinematic viscosity, saponification and cetane numbers, calorific value, Fourier transform infrared spec- troscopy (FT‐IR), and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC‐MS) studies were investigated. The oxygenated elements, such as naphthalene, caryophyllene, pentade- canoic acid, dihydropyridine, D‐limonene are observed using GC‐MS analysis. The higher hydrocarbon (HC) chain length indicates a rise in energy density and boiling point with a reduction of volatility. Using FT‐IR analysis, C–H stretching vibrations are found at a frequency of 1672 cm−1 . The C≐C stretching vibrations at 1740 cm−1 reveals the availability of the alkenes/fingerprint phase. Experiments were conducted at four different volumetric blend ratios of LGO‐diesel blends at typical injection parameters under different loading conditions. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) decreased for all the test combinations of LGO than diesel. BTE is observed as 30.79% at diesel, 30.06% at LGO25, 28.71% at LGO50, 27.77% at LGO75%, and 27.23% at LGO100. The cylinder pressure and heat release rate increased proportionately with the LGO fuel mixture. Carbon monoxide, HC, and smoke emissions are reduced by LGO mixtures than diesel at the full load of the engine. It was noted that greater blends of LGO and diesel resulted in increased nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and engine tribological characteristics. The NOx is increased by 21.2% at LGO25, 24.3% at LGO50, 26.5% at LGO75 and 30.8% at LGO100 when compared with diesel. Without any chemical processing, Cymbopogon flexuosus oil can be blended directly with diesel fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diesel spray process is one of the critical development zones in terms of diesel engine‐out emission regulations. Detailed analysis of Palmarosa oil methyl esters fuel spray properties has been studied and made a comparison analysis with mineral diesel. Experiments under various injection pressures (200, 225, and 250 bars) have been investigated in a constant volume chamber (CVC). Studies have shown that the longest and shortest spray tip penetrations (STPs) for biodiesel and diesel were observed. A higher spray cone angle of about 17.5 ms for PMO fuels and 11.4 ms for diesel were found. The Sauter mean diameter for all test blends decreased with an increase in fuel injection pressure with the maximum reduction of 15 μm. Additionally, the spray volume of 0.4 cm3 and spray area of 5 cm2 increased respectively during 250 bars injection pressure. STP increased by 14.3 ms for Palmarosa oil methyl ester than diesel at 250 bars injection pressure. It is concluded that the fuel properties such as density and viscosity are the main influencing factors for spray analysis and play a significant role in the fuel injection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to investigate the effect of the addition of water to corn oil biodiesel (BD) (COBD) in a diesel engine to view its effect on performance and emission characteristics. Two fuel samples were prepared using a novel surfactant Span 80 (MilliporeSigma, Burlington, MA), with different concentrations (94% corn oil + 4% water + 2% Span 80 (COBDE1) and 90% corn oil + 8% water + 2% Span 80 (COBDE2)). Experimental results showed that the water samples of COBD had higher brake thermal efficiency and lower brake-specific fuel consumption than that of neat COBD at all engine brake power. In addition, smoke and nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by 4-11% and 6-10% using corn oil-water samples compared to neat COBD. Furthermore, the introduction of COBD-water emulsions in a diesel engine reduces the unburned hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the effect of two oxygenated additives, DMC (Di-methyl-carbonate) and Pentanol (n-P) on ignition patterns of biodiesel/diesel blends in the diesel engine. DMC and Pentanol were mixed at 10% volume with the equivalent blends of neem-biodiesel and diesel. Blending additives and biodiesel to diesel was carried out without any surfactant and found no phase-separation and remained stable. Performance results revealed a significant improvement in the performance pattern of biodiesel/diesel blends. BSFC is lowered by '0.4 and 0.5 g/kW with 0.3 and 0.6% increase in BTE was observed by blending DMC and Pentanol to base fuel (NBD50D50) respectively. Adding 10% Volume of Pentanol and DMC lowers the CO emission of NBD50D50 by 4.9% and 7.4% at all loads. In addition, 3.1% and 4.7% reduction in HC emissions were observed by blending 10% of DMC and Pentanol to base fuel in that order. Peak pressure of base fuel is increased by 2.3 and 3.1 bar by adding DMC and pentanol, respectively. Further, 3.9 and 2.1 J/CA of HRR is improved by adding DMC and pentanol to NBD50D50 due to its improved properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol will be an exceptional alternative fuel for existing diesel engines because of its built-in fuel-improving properties (high cetane number and high energy content). Biosynthesis of N-heptanol by means of engineered microbes, such as the Clostridium species and Escherichia coli, is an active area of research. Hence, extensive investigation on the compatibility of N-heptanol in existing diesel engines is necessary. This study examined the effect of heptanol mustard oil biodiesel blends of varying proportions on the emission and performance patterns in a 1,800 r/min constant-speed immobile diesel engine. The main objective of this investigation was to investigate the reduction in all the emissions and increase the performance characteristics associated with neat mustard oil biodiesel when deploying three different fuels. Base catalyzed transesterification process was employed to convert the mustard oil into mustard oil biodiesel. Heptanol with 98.4 % purity was used as an oxygenated additive. The experimental results revealed that converting heptanol to mustard oil biodiesel caused a significant reduction in hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and smoke emissions when compared to mustard oil biodiesel in naturally aspirated conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-rise in the air pollution levels due to combustion of the fossil fuel gives us the opportunity to discover environmentally friendly and clean fuels for the engines. Biodiesel originated from cashew nut shell oil through transesterification process can be blended or used as a neat fuel in unmodified engines. This work investigates the effect of alumina nanoparticles on emission and performance characteristics of cashew nut shell biodiesel. Neat cashew nut shell biodiesel prepared by conventional transesterification is termed as BD100 and biodiesel prepared by modified transesterification with the addition of alumina nanoparticles is termed as BD100A. Experimental results on unmodified diesel engine revealed that emission parameters such as CO, HC, NOx, and smoke were decreased by 5.3%, 7.4%, 10.23%, and 16.1% for BD100% and 8.8%, 10.1%, 12.4%, and 18.4% for B100A, respectively, compared to diesel fuel. At full load conditions, compared to diesel fuel, the BTE dropped by 1.1% and 2.3%, whereas the BSFC increased by 3.8% and 5.1% for B100A and B100 correspondingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents the exergy analysis of the evacuated tube parabolic trough collector and the cascaded latent heat storage system using multi-temperature phase change material (PCMs) during the charging process. The objective of the work is to control the losses and increase the efficiency of the system. The exergy analysis has been conducted on the basis of the first and second laws of thermodynamics in a parabolic trough collector with various mass flow rates of the heat transfer fluid (HTF). The overall variation of exergy efficiency of the collector with varying mass flow rate of the HTF is 5.9 %. The thermodynamic analysis of the cascaded latent heat storage system has been done during the charging process in which the PCM absorbs energy from the HTF and undergoes a phase transformation from the solid to the liquid state. The exergy analysis is conducted by varying the mass flow rate of the HTF in the storage system for both insulated and non-insulated systems. It is noticed that the variation of exergy stored for 5 and 10 liters per minute is 24.609 kW and 40.48 kW, respectively. It is concluded that the high range of energy and exergy stored in the system is achieved by the high flow rate of the HTF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work is intended to investigate the emission characteristics of neat cashew nut shell methyl ester (CNSME100) by adding pentanol at two different proportions and compared with the baseline diesel. CNSME100 is prepared by the conventional transesterification process. CNSME100 is chosen due to its non-edible nature. Pentanol is chosen as an additive because of its higher inbuilt oxygen content and surface to volume ratio which reduces the drawbacks of neat CNSME100. Emission characteristics were carried out in single cylinder naturally aspirated CI engine fuelled with neat cashew nut shell methyl ester (CNSME), cashew nut shell methyl ester and pentanol by 10% volume (CNSME90P10), cashew nut shell methyl ester and pentanol by 20% volume (CNSME80P20), and diesel. This work also aims to investigate the feasibility of operating an engine fuelled with neat methyl ester and alcohol blends. Experimental results showed that by blending higher alcohol to neat cashew nut shell methyl ester reduces the emissions significantly. It is also found that the emission from neat methyl ester and pentanol blends is lesser than diesel at all loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the impact of blending pentanol, a next generation biofuel, with cashew nut shell biodiesel on its performance and emissions characteristics in a constant speed compression ignition engine. Our main objective was to reduce CO, HC, NO and smoke emission when fueled with neat cashew nut shell biodiesel and the pentanol blends. Cashew nut shell oil is a byproduct from cashew nut industry. Since it is nonedible, it can be used as a promising alternative. Conventional transesterification process was used to convert the cashew nut shell oil into cashew nut shell biodiesel. Pentanol with 98.4% purity was used as an oxygenated additive. The experiment involved three test fuels: neat cashew nut shell biodiesel (C100), Pentanol blended with cashew nut shell biodiesel by 10% volume (C90P10) and Pentanol blended with cashew nut shell biodiesel by 20% volume (C80P20). The feasibility of using neat biofuel (without adding diesel) was also investigated. Experimental work concluded that the test fuels used in this study does not require any modification in engines. In addition, the combustion of fuels was smooth and there was no physical and visible damage in the engine components when fueled with cashew nut shell biodiesel and the pentanol blends. By adding 10% and 20% of pentanol to cashew nut shell biodiesel, significant reduction in CO, HC, NO and smoke emission was observed. In addition, brake thermal efficiency increased marginally with slight reduction in brake specific fuel consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the efficiency of solar flat-plate collectors further, a study had been carried out wherein the conventional working fluid was replaced by nanofluids. A 25-L/day solar flat-plate water heater with collector area of 0.5 has been designed and fabricated. The thermosyphon system of the solar water heater was monitored at 15 locations using T-type thermocouples. Alumina and CuO nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and X-ray diffraction techniques and dispersed using ultrasonic mechanism. To stabilize the system at an optimum level, the collector is operated with volume fractions of 0.2% and 0.4% of synthesized Al 2O 3 and CuO nanoparticles mixed with distilled water and used in the solar flat-plate collector. The temperature profile was compared with different volume fractions of the nanoparticles in the flowing medium. Enhanced heat transfer was observed in the solar flat-plate collector using nanoparticles, and hence, it is inferred that addition of nanoparticles improves the efficiency of the solar water heaters. This paper details the temperature profile observed in the collectors, variation of insolation over the day, and change in efficiency both on the primary side (collector) and on the secondary side (storage tank) of the solar water heater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two collectors with the same area of 945×420mmhave been designed and fabricated: one flat plate collector with internally grooved fins inserted inside the riser tubes and the other one with plain riser tubes. Provisionswere made for inserting the T-type thermocouples at six different locations to monitor temperature variations inside the riser tubes of the collector. The two identical systems of collectors (finned and unfinned tube) were initially run with base working fluid (water) and then with Al2O3 nanoparticles with a size of 40 nm for diffierent weight fractions of 0.2%and 0.4%in incremental order to study the effect on the efficiency of collectors. Mixing of nanoparticles in water thus improves the efficiency of the collector. Results show the efficiency of finned tube collector using the nanoparticles and water is substantially higher when compared to that of unfinned riser tubes collector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research intended to investigate the performance, emission and combustion characteristics of Sterculia foetida biodiesel blending with n-butanol at two different proportions (5% and 10%). The non-edible nature of the Sterculia foetida kernel oil favored choosing as feedstock. It comprises more than 70% of sterculic acid, a cyclopropane ring in its chemical structure. The base-catalyzed transesterification process converted Sterculia foetida kernel oil into biodiesel. The n-butanol additive was added in 5% & 10% volume as an oxygenated fuel to S. foetida / diesel blends for reducing emissions and improving thermal efficiency. Investigations revealed that brake thermal efficiency was improved by adding n-butanol in the blends compared with 20% S. foetida biodiesel + 80% Diesel. The emissions such as carbon monoxide, smoke opacity and hydrocarbons have significantly reduced vis-à-vis standard diesel. The oxides of nitrogen (NO X) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) decreased relative to 20% S. foetida biodiesel + 80% Diesel. The analysis in combustion registered an improvement for butanol/diesel/biodiesel blends relative to S. foetida biodiesel owing to the innate content of oxygen in Heat Release Rate and In-Cylinder Pressure. Hence the addition of butanol with S. foetida biodiesel appears as a good substitute for straight diesel. [Display omitted] • Emissions mitigation using biodiesel with the use of additives has been proposed. • The influence of butanol in stationary and transient operation has been studied. • Biodiesel with butanol improved engine performance. • The use of butanol showed lower exhaust emissions and better ignition quality. • CO and UHC emissions are reduced with the use of biodiesel blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major drawbacks of using biodiesel as a neat fuel are low oxidation stability, high viscosity, lower thermal efficiency and higher NOx emission. Many studies have been attempted to reduce the drawbacks of biodiesel and to use it as a conventional fuel. The present work aims to reduce the problems associated with neat biodiesel using addition of non-polluting additives. Mahua oil has been chosen as a biodiesel due to its non-edible nature and properties similar to diesel. Mahua oil methyl ester (MOME) was prepared by conventional transesterification. Ferrofluid, comprising of magnetite of 14 nm size was added to the base fuel and is referred to as MOMEF (Mahua Oil Methyl Ester with the addition of Ferrofluid). The advantage of ferrofluid is that, unlike other additives, it can be extracted from the exhaust gas. Ferrofluid releases additional heat during the course of the combustion process which reduces its conventional drawbacks. Furthermore, it can be easily diluted to biodiesel and as a result it can collect the benefits of water-biodiesel emulsions. This fuel modification is expected to improve the properties of mahua oil methyl-ester and to eliminate problems associated with it. Performance, combustion and emission tests were carried out in a 21 kW power, four-stroke, twin-cylinder, direct-injection, compression-ignition engine. Experimentally, it was observed that methyl esters of mahua oil can be combusted in an IC engine like other biofuels without any major modifications. Experiments were conducted with MOME and MOMEF and are compared with conventional diesel. The experimental analysis revealed an increase in brake thermal efficiency of about 5.27% and a decrease in brake specific fuel consumption of about 5.37%. In addition the HC, CO and NOx emissions were reduced by 10.8%, 6.44% and 9.49% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]