Performance Study Of Diesel Engine Using Pongamia Biodiesel

Abstract

Rising Environmental Pollution, Ever-increasing Energy Demand, And The Depletion Of Fossil Fuel Reserves Have Driven The Search For Alternative And Sustainable Fuels For Internal Combustion Engines. Biodiesel, A Renewable, Biodegradable, And Non-toxic Fuel Derived From Non-edible Oil Sources, Has Emerged As One Of The Most Promising Substitutes For Conventional Diesel Fuel. In This Study, Pongamia Biodiesel Was Produced From Pongamia Oil Through The Transesterification Process. The Primary Objective Of This Research Is To Investigate The Performance Of A Single-cylinder Compression Ignition Diesel Engine Fuelled With Pongamia Biodiesel Blends, With Particular Emphasis On How The Supplied Heat Energy Is Utilized And The Associated Losses. Biodiesel Blends — B20, B40, B60, B80, And B100 (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, And 100% Biodiesel Mixed With Diesel) — Were Prepared And Tested Under Varying Load Conditions. Mechanical Efficiency, Brake Thermal Efficiency, Indicated Thermal Efficiency, And Specific Fuel Consumption Were Analysed Together With A Detailed Heat Balance Sheet For Each Fuel. The Experimental Results Indicate That Pongamia Biodiesel Blends Deliver Engine Performance Comparable To Conventional Diesel. Brake Thermal Efficiency Increases With Engine Load For All Fuel Blends, While Specific Fuel Consumption Is Marginally Higher For Biodiesel Blends Owing To Their Lower Calorific Value. Emission-related Combustion Behaviour Also Improves, With Better Utilization Of Oxygen Content Promoting More Complete Combustion. Among The Tested Blends, B60 Offers A Favourable Overall Compromise Between Performance And Fuel Economy, While B60 Shows The Most Promising Brake Thermal Efficiency. The Study Concludes That Pongamia Biodiesel Is A Viable, Renewable, And Eco-friendly Alternative To Diesel Fuel That Can Be Used In Existing Diesel Engines Without Major Modification, Contributing To Reduced Environmental Pollution And Decreased Dependence On Fossil Fuels.

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