Effect of DEE Oxygenate on Diesel in Algal Biodiesel-Diesel Blends on the Combustion Phenomenon of DI Compression Ignition Engines
Biodiesel derived from Stoechospermum marginatum is analysed in a CI engine to understand its feasibility to be used as fuel. In this study, Soxhlet extraction method was applied to extract the bio oil from the brown sea weed (S. Marginatum) with n-hexane as solvent. Considering the low FFA content through titration, base single stage transesterification process with methanol and NaOH at molar ratio of 8:1 is used and it yielded 84.5% of bio diesel. The test fuel is prepared with processed algae bio diesel and Di-Ethyl Ether in different blend ratios namely D80AB20, D70AB20DEE10 and D60AB20DEE20. The variation in combustion aspects are evaluated with constant concentration of algal bio diesel at 20% with variation in diesel and oxygenate concentrations. Consequential variation is observed in the combustion behaviour of CI engine on fuelling with test fuels. Comparable in-cylinder pressure is observed in bio-diesel blends and oxygenated blends. D70AB20DEEE10 exhibits superior heat release rate and pressure rise at all loads. The peak in-cylinder pressure and variation in ignition delay are also analysed in this study.