Experimental Study of Diesel Engine Generator Performance and Emission Characteristics Using a Mixture of Jatropha Oil and Rubber Seed Oil Biodiesels Along a Two-Step Transesterification

Abstract

This study investigates the performance and emission properties of engine-generator powered using various dual biodiesel mixes prepared from two inedible feedstock jatropha and rubber. Jatropha and rubber oils had high acid values, which were 13.96 and 27.91 mg KOH/g, respectively. Therefore, a two-step transesterification process was conducted to lower the acid value to 0.28 and 0.42 mg KOH/g for jatropha and rubber, respectively. The various physicochemical properties of biodiesels were compared with standards and diesel. The engine generator performance and emissions of various mixed biodiesel-diesel blends (BC10, BC20, BC30, and BC40) were investigated at varying loads and constant speeds (3000 rpm) and compared with B0, BA20, and BB20 biodiesel blends. In general, a blend of jatropha and rubber biodiesel reduced density and viscosity when compared to rubber biodiesel and improved ignition quality when compared to jatropha biodiesel. Dual biodiesel blends reduced CO₂, CO, and HC emissions in comparison to diesel, while NOX emission was higher. The results of the experiments show that better engine-generator performance and fuel exhaust emissions were seen with the BC20 followed by BC40 and can be utilized as a substitute fuel in diesel engine generators without requiring any modifications