Response Surface Methodology-based Optimization of Variable Compression Ratio Diesel Engine Characteristics with Jatropha Biodiesel.

The use of biodiesels as a potential alternative to fossil fuels has significantly increased in the past few decades owing to their clean and renewable nature. The present work has considered jatropha oil as the feedstock for biodiesel due to its properties similar to that of petroleum diesel, large-scale availability, and improved engine characteristics. The brake thermal efficiency and brake-specific fuel consumption have been analyzed for estimating the engine performance while the emissions of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen have been considered for the exhaust emission. Further, the response surface methodology has been adopted for the optimization of the different engine characteristics. The response surface methodology has identified optimal engine characteristics of a variable ratio compression ignition engine for biodiesel with 10% jatropha oil methyl ester at 18:1 compression ratio and 50% engine load. The desired factor of 0.615 and inaccuracy less than 5% of the present analysis can be considered as suitable and acceptable for the optimal parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]