Experimental Investigation of Emission and Performance characteristics on Diesel Engine fueled with Flaxseed Biofuel

Abstract

The world’s transportation sector has been predominantly powered by liquid hydrocarbon fuels and these resources are limited, so they will be exhausted in future. Therefore, finding an alternative source of energy is of vital importance. In modern time, bio diesel has become more attractive as an alternative fuel for diesel engine because of it is made from renewable source and has better effect on environment. Much research has been carried out to find the suitable fuel blends to reduce the exhaust emission. This research aims to understand possibility of flaxseed oil as an alternative fuel to diesel. That is investigated by blending flaxseed biodiesel with diesel and checking the performance and emission characteristic while using this blend as fuel. Biodiesel production from flaxseed oil has    84 % yield using single stage alkali catalysed transesterification process. Performance and emission test were carried out for diesel, FB10, FB20 and FB15+B5 fuel. FB10 showed far better emission characteristics than other fuel. Biodiesel blends didn’t have any significant effect on performance parameter such as brake thermal efficiency (BTHE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). It reduced CO and HC emissions up to 50% compared to pure diesel.  Addition of Butanol increased CO emission and reduced all other emission compared to FB20 blend