Performance evaluation of a small tractor with biodiesel

Biodiesel, which is an alternative for diesel fuel, has gained considerable attention in the recent past and now gaining recognition among other available renewable fuels. In practice, biodiesel is produced through a process called transesterification in which organically derived oils are combined with alcohol (ethanol or methanol) in the presence of a catalyst to form ethyl or methyl ester. The produced biodiesel should meet the exiting standards for better performance in unmodified diesel engine. Use of biodiesel in a compression ignition engine was found to develop a highly compatible engine-fuel system with low emission characteristics. Two similar engines were operated using optimum biodiesel blend and mineral diesel oil, respectively. The additional lubricating property present in the fuel resulted in lower wear and improved life of moving components in a biodiesel-fuelled engine. However, this needed experimental verification and quantification. A series of experiments were thus conducted to see the fuel consumption of the various concentrations of biodiesel blends. 100% biodiesel showed lesser consumption rate compared to diesel oil.