Experimental Study on a Diesel Engine Fuelled with New and Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester

Abstract:
The results of the performance of a compression ignition engine (direct injected, 4-stroke 1-cylinder engine) by using methyl ester (biodiesel) from fresh and used vegetable oil have been presented in this paper along with the performance using petroleum diesel fuel. Short-term engine performance tests were conducted using methyl ester oil from new and used cooking oil. The engine performance parameters studied were power output, maximum in-
cylinder pressure, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency and exhaust gas temperature by using diesel fuel alone and the above mentioned biodiesel fuel. The emissions measured were CO2, CO. Data thus obtained were analyzed and compared with those of diesel fuel. The in-cylinder pressure was observed to be about 7% higher as compared to that with diesel fuel. The exhaust gas temperature was observed to increase in case of biodiesel. Significant reduction (about 80%) in CO emission was observed as compared to that with diesel fuel. The CO2 emission from the biodiesel (obtained from fresh cooking oil) fuelled engine was slightly higher than diesel fuel as compared with diesel. While significant reduction (about 48%) in CO2 emission from the biodiesel (obtained from used cooking oil) fuelled engine was observed as compared to that with diesel. At the same time brake thermal efficiency was observed to be lower (with about 16%) as compared to that with pure diesel. Brake specific fuel consumption was higher as compared with diesel fuel especially at low load.