Author : R K Tripathi, Deepak Kumar and Ajay Kumar

The straight vegetable oils (SVOs) is a potential substitute for diesel. The investigations were carried out to ascertain the performance and emission characteristics of Jatropha oil (JSVO) in diesel engines. To reduce the viscosity of JSVO by heating, heat exchanger was used. The engine was run at different fuel injection pressures and fuel injection timings. Engine parameters such as fuel consumption, thermal efficiency, exhaust gas temperature and exhaust emissions (CO, CO2, HC, and NOx) were recorded. The analysis was done to find fuel injection pressure and crank angle of fuel injection for optimum engine performance. The optimum engine performances were compared with existing engine performance using diesel fuel. The BSFC was observed minimum when JSVO was heated to 900C and the fuel was injected at 195 bar and 24o BTDC. The BTE was obtained 34.76% with Jatropha fuel after incorporating the suggested modifications in engine against 32.96 % with diesel fuel. The suggested engine modifications also improved emission parameters even better than existing value.

Keywords: Jatropha Straight vegetable oils (JSVO), BTE (Brake Thermal efficiency), BTDC (Before Top Dead Centre), BSFC ( Brake specific fuel consumption)

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.4,No.2 (April- 2014)