Title: Dual fuel operation of ethyl ester of Jatropha curcus with ethanol by fumigation

Authors: S. Vijayaraj, R. Udayakumar, J. Sarangan

Addresses: AVC College of Engineering, Mayiladuthurai 609305, India. ' BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, International Academic City, PO Box 500022, Dubai, UAE. ' National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli 620015, India

Abstract: The main objective of this investigation was to study the dual fuel operation of ethyl esters of Jatropha curcus and ethanol by fumigation experimentally. The ethyl ester was prepared from the non-edible J. curcus oil using the transesterification process. The experimental study was carried out in a single cylinder direct injection diesel engine. The inlet air was heated to 75° C by a heating coil heated at a constant rate by using a closed loop control of the loading rheostat and a cut-out relay. In the experimental set-up, ethanol was injected into the hot inlet air very near the intake manifold. The results show an appreciable reduction in smoke and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, a slight increase in hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, and a slight reduction in NOx emissions at part loads, with an appreciable increase in the performance compared with neat diesel and neat ethyl esters.

Keywords: crank angle; dual fuel operation; ethanol; ethyl ester; Jatropha curcus; engine performance; emissions; transesterification; fumigation; direct injection diesel engines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2009.024977

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2009 Vol.50 No.1/2/3/4, pp.271 - 288

Published online: 06 May 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article