Effect of Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel-diesel blends on combustion, performance, exhaust particulate matter and gaseous emissions in a multi-cylinder diesel engine

In this work, the effects of adding of inedible Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel to diesel fuel on performance, gaseous emissions, particulate matter (PM) and combustion characteristics were studied in a medium-duty, high-pressure common-rail turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine under different speed and torque conditions. The key physicochemical properties of neat biodiesel, biodiesel-diesel blends and diesel were characterized and analysed. The test fuels used were a fossil diesel fuel, B10, B20, B30, and B50 of biodiesel-diesel fuels. The results indicated that all blends of biodiesel fuels have physicochemical properties relatively close to those of petroleum diesel. The experimental results also demonstrated that there are some drawbacks in engine brake power, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) with the blend of biodiesel in the fuel. Besides, refinement in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and exhaust emissions were recorded across all engine speeds. Moreover, the emission improvement was characterized by lower carbon monoxide (CO) and reduced in both of the smoke and PM emissions. Also, reduction in the magnitude of peak combustion pressure and heat release rate (HRR) were also found with biodiesel blends. Overall, the results indicated that Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel can be used satisfactorily in an unmodified multi-cylinder high-pressure common-rail diesel engine.