Performance and emissions characteristics of C.I. engine fueled with palm oil/palm oil methyl ester blended with diesel fuel

The rapid increasing worldwide demand for energy, continuous increasing of fuel consumption and the progressive depletion of fossil fuels led to an intensive search for biodiesel as alternative fuel for diesel engine. Performance and emissions characteristics of C.I. engine fueled with palm oil/palm oil methyl ester blended with diesel fuel is investigated experimentally. Biodiesel was prepared from palm oil by transesterification process. Diesel, biodiesel and palm oil blends were prepared in volume percentages of 20 and 100% as B20, B100 and PO20. Physical and chemical properties of biodiesel blends were near to diesel fuel. The experimental study is conducted on a diesel engine at different engine loading from zero to full loads using palm oil and palm biodiesel and its blends with diesel fuel. Thermal efficiency of biodiesel and oil blends with diesel fuel was lower than diesel fuel. Specific fuel consumptions for biodiesel and oil blends were found to be higher than diesel oil. Unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions have been decreased for biodiesel blends but it increased for oil blends compared to diesel fuel. Nitrogen oxide emissions have slightly been increased for biodiesel and oil blends compared to diesel fuel. Blends of diesel – biodiesel up to 20% biodiesel percentage by volume are recommended because of the improvement in performance and emissions as compared to diesel fuel.