Analysis of chosen parameters of CI engine for Nerium oil — An alternative fuel

Biodiesel is renewable and environmental friendly alternative diesel fuel for diesel engine. It can be produced from food grade vegetable oils, inedible oil, animal fats and waste or used vegetable oils, by transesterification process. Transesterification is a chemical reaction in which vegetable oils and animal fats are reacted with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. The products of reaction are fatty acid alkyl ester and glycerin, and were the fatty acid alkyl esters known as biodiesel. In this project esterified Nerium oil is used as an alternate fuel. A single cylinder stationary kirloskar engine is used to compare the performance and emission characteristics between pure diesel and Nerium blends. In this project selection of suitable nerium blend and selection of optimized injection timing for the blend is done. The Nerium oil blends are in percentage of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of Nerium oil to 80%, 60%, 40%, 20% & 0% of diesel. From this project it is concluded that among all nerium and diesel blends 20% of nerium and 80% of diesel blend at 30° BTDC gives better performance nearing the diesel. When comparing the emission characteristics HC, CO is reduced when compared to diesel, however NOx emission is slightly increased when compared to diesel. Hence Nerium blend can be used in existing diesel engines with minimum modification in the engine. It also describes the usage of non-edible oil to a greater extent.