*Research Scholar, Mechanical Engineering, Annamalai University
**Research Scholar, Pondicherry Engineering College
***Assistant Professor, Prist University, Kumbakonam
Online published on 24 October, 2013.
Experiments have been carried out to evaluate the performance characteristics of a diesel engine when powered with neat jatropha methyl ester (JME), Castor methyl ester (CAME) and cottonseed oil methyl ester (COME). Tests on ordinary diesel fuel have also been carried out to obtained base line data for comparison purposes. The diesel engine ran well on all the fuels mentioned above. A series of tests are conducted and repeated three times for each of the test fuels. The engine works at a fixed speed of 1500 rpm, but at different loads respectively, i.e. 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of engine full loads. The performance characteristics of the engine are analyzed and compared with diesel fuel operation. The experimental results show that the basic engine performance – power output and fuel consumption are comparable to diesel when powered with neat biodiesel. It was found that the engine offer slight higher thermal efficiency when it is powered by neat biodiesel compared to diesel, while lower exhaust gas temperature was observed with all neat biodiesels.
Compression Ignition (CI) engine, Biodiesel, performance
