Influence of Injection Timing on Performance Parameters of High Grade Semi Adiabatic Diesel Engine with Cotton Seed Biodiesel

As a renewable, sustainable and alternative fuel for compression ignition engines, biodiesel instead of diesel has been increasingly fueled to study its effects on engine performances and emissions in the recent 10 years. But these studies have been rarely reviewed to favor understanding and popularization for biodiesel so far in conventional diesel engines. Biodiesels derived from vegetable oils present a very promising alternative for diesel fuel, since they have numerous advantages compared to fossil fuels. They are renewable, biodegradable, provide energy security and foreign exchange savings besides addressing environmental concerns and socio-economic issues. However drawbacks associated with biodiesel of high viscosity and low volatility which cause combustion problems in CI engines, call for engine with hot combustion chamber. They have significant characteristics of higher operating temperature, maximum heat release, and ability to handle low calorific value fuel. Investigations were carried out to evaluate the performance with low heat rejection combustion chamber with cotton seed biodiesel with varied injection timing It consisted of an air gap insulated piston with superni (an alloy of nickel) crown, an air gap insulated liner with superni insert and ceramic coated cylinder head. Comparative studies were made for engine with LHR combustion chamber and conventional engine at manufacturer's recommended injection timing (27o bTDC) and optimum injection timing with biodiesel operation. Engine with LHR combustion chamber with biodiesel showed improved performance at 27o bTDC and at optimum injection timing over CE.