Review of combustion characteristics of CI engines fueled with biodiesel

In this study, the combustion characteristics of CI engine with biodiesel–diesel blends and neat biodiesel are critically reviewed. Combustion parameters like cylinder pressure, peak pressure, rate of pressure rise, start of combustion, ignition delay period, combustion duration, mass fraction burned, instantaneous heat release rate and cumulative heat release rate of biodiesel blends and diesel have been reviewed. The difference in in-cylinder peak pressure between diesel and biodiesel blends is not significant and is within 1%. The ignition of the biodiesel is earlier than that of diesel by about 1–2° CA. Both diesel and biodiesel fuels experience rapid premixed burning followed by diffusion combustion as it is typical for naturally aspirated engines. The instantaneous and cumulative heat release rates of both fuels are quite close to each other. In general, the combustion characteristics of biodiesel fuel blends and neat biodiesel have resulted in the same characteristics as for normal diesel combustion. The results reviewed in this article indicate that biodiesel fuel blends and neat biodiesel can be used as an alternative and environment friendly fuels without any major modification of the CI engines.