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*Corresponding author, email: .
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This paper highlights the results of a series of experimental investigations on utilization of biodiesel derived from Jatropha and Karanja oil with a 50–50% blend by volume. This blend was mixed with neat diesel fuel in varying proportion and physico-chemical characteristics of samples were experimentally evaluated. These samples were used to fuel an unmodified, agriculture diesel engine. The experimental investigations showed that all biodiesel blends have lower thermal efficiencies as compared to petroleum origin diesel. As the percentage of biodiesel in diesel increases, brake specific energy consumption (BSEC) was also found to be increasing. Neat biodiesel sample (JKB 100) was found to be having highest BSEC at all the loads, where as JKB 10 fuel sample has BSEC comparable to diesel. JKB 100 has the least value of smoke opacity due to complete combustion at all loads. Thus, blends of Jatropha and Karanja biodiesel can be used in diesel engine with some penalty in power, brake thermal efficiency and brake specific energy consumption. However, smoke opacity was found to be reducing when engine was fuelled with biodiesel based fuels.
Jatropha oil, Karanja oil, biodiesel, transesterification, smoke opacity