Performance Evaluation of a Diesel Engine Run on Biodiesel Produced from Coconut Oil and Its Blends
Nicholas A. Musa *
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
Georgina M. Teran
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
Saraki A. Yaman
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This paper presents the evaluation of performance parameters viz a viz Brake Specific Fuel Consumptions (BSFC), brake powers and mechanical efficiencies of a diesel engine run on biodiesel, its blends and diesel. The results of the evaluation showed that all the parameters exhibit similar variations. Mechanical efficiencies of the diesel engine run on the blends of biodiesel with diesel containing 30%, 40% and 50% biodiesel denoted by B30, B40 and B50 respectively were found to be higher than when it was run on diesel and a blend of biodiesel with diesel containing 20% biodiesel denoted by B20. Mechanical efficiencies of the diesel engine run on the blend of biodiesel with diesel containing 10% biodiesel and solely biodiesel denoted by B10 and B100 respectively were found to be lesser than when it was run on diesel denoted by B0, with increase in brake powers. The mechanical efficiencies of the diesel engine run on B10, B30, B40, B50 and B100 were found to be lesser with increase in engine loads in comparison to when it was run on diesel. BSFC of the diesel engine that was run on biodiesel and its blend were found to be higher than when it was run on diesel only. They increased with increase in percentage of biodiesel added to diesel as the engine load increased. However they were found to increase with increase in brake power in the order of B10, B20, B30, B40, B50 and B100.
Keywords: Biodiesel, BSFC, diesel, diesel engine, engine load, mechanical efficiency