An Investigation into Biodiesel Production from Neem Oil and Evaluation of Performance and Emission Parameters of Diesel Engine Using Different Biodiesel Blends

Abstract

Biodiesel now a days is emerging as an alternative fuel which is a good replacement to the petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is mainly derived from fats and oils by different methods such as dilution, pyrolysis, micro emulsification and transesterification but these days most commercial method used for biodiesel production is transesterification. Neem oil biodiesel was prepared using transesterification process by optimizing the production parameters such as alcohol to oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration etc. Engine design also plays an important role as if it is improved it reduces fuel consumption and give better performance parameters. In this thesis the main emphasis has been laid on optimum production of biodiesel from neem oil and then using the biodiesel blends with diesel studying the comparative exhaust emission characteristics and engine performance and also optimizing the compression ratio and the blends made from the biodiesel with diesel. A four stroke variable compression ratio single cylinder compression ignition engine was used to measure performance and emission parameters. Biodiesel (fire point and calorific value) added to the diesel (fire point and calorific value) at four different volume concentrations i.e. 10, 20, 30 and 40% of biodiesel. Based on the analysis of performance and emission parameters the biodiesel blend B10 was found optimum for the most efficient operation of the engine. The CR 14 was found optimum by comparing the performance parameters such as BTHeff, BSFC, and EGT etc. for all the compression ratios.