Abstract—Alternative fuels have received much attention due to the depletion of world petroleum reserves and increased environmental concerns. Thus processed form of vegetable oil (Biodiesel) offers attractive alternative fuels to compression ignition engines. In this experimental study performance and emissions characteristics of methyl esters of Silk Cotton Oil (SCOME) and diesel blends in a diesel engine were experimentally investigated. For this study, methyl esters of Silk Cotton Oil were added to diesel by volume of 20% (B20), 40% (B40), 60% (B60) and 80% (B80), as well as pure blend 100% (B100). Fuels were tested in single cylinder, water-cooled, direct injection Kirloskar diesel engine loaded by eddy current dynamometer. The effect of blends on engine performance, exhaust emissions were examined at different loads (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) at constant engine speed of 1500 rpm. Engine performance parameters namely brake power, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, exhaust gas temperature and exhaust emissions of CO, HC, CO2, NOx and smoke density were determined. The test result indicates that there is a slight increase in brake thermal efficiency and brake power up to 50% of load, but at full load condition the brake thermal efficiency increases for neat blend of biodiesel. There is an increase in specific fuel consumption for all the blended fuels when compared to that of diesel fuel. The drastic reduction in carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon were recorded for all the blended fuels as well as with neat biodiesel. However, in the case of oxides of nitrogen, carbon-di-oxide, oxygen there is a slight increase for all the blended fuels and with neat biodiesel when compared to diesel fuel. The drastic reduction in carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon were recorded for all the blended fuels as well as with neat biodiesel. However, in the case of oxides of nitrogen, carbon-di-oxide there is a slight increase for all the blended fuels and with neat biodiesel when compared to diesel fuel. On the whole, Silk Cotton Oil Methyl Ester (SCOME) and its blends with diesel fuel can be used as an alternative fuel for diesel in direct injection diesel engines without any significant engine modification.

Index Terms—Performance, Emission, I.C. Engine, Blended fuel.

Cite: Rajesh Kumar and Jesu Titus, "Experimental Investigation on Performance and Emission Analysis of CI Engine Fuelled With Methyl Ester of Silk Cotton Oil And Various Diesel Blends," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol.3, No.4, pp. 195-205, October 2014.