Effects of partial addition of n-butanol in rubber seed oil methyl ester powered diesel engine

The objective of present study is to evaluate the combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of refined biodiesel (biofuel) such as rubber seed oil methyl ester with the partial addition of n-butanol (butanol) in it in a single cylinder four stroke diesel engine operated at a constant speed of 1500 rpm. Various characteristics of butanol–rubber seed oil methyl ester blends with varying volume percentage of butanol such as 5, 10, 15, and 20 in butanol–rubber seed oil methyl ester blends were compared with the characteristics of neat rubber seed oil methyl ester (100%) and neat diesel (100%) at various load conditions on engine (such as 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) for the compression ratio 18. It is found that brake specific fuel consumption was increased by 17% with an increase in butanol content from 5% to 20% in butanol–rubber seed oil methyl ester blends at full load condition. Brake thermal efficiency was decreased by 14% with an increase in butanol content from 5% to 20% in butanol–rubber seed oil methyl ester blends at full load condition. Carbon monoxide and HC emissions were found to be negligible, i.e. less than 0.1% and 35 ppm, respectively, for all selected fuels. NOx emissions were decreased by 10% with an increase in butanol content from 5% to 20% in butanol–rubber seed oil methyl ester blends at full load condition. Various characteristics were compared for six fuels (neat rubber seed oil methyl ester, four renewable butanol–rubber seed oil methyl ester blends, and neat diesel) in order to finalize the promising alternate sustainable renewable fuel in place of shortly diminishing conventional diesel fuel in order to provide the solution for increase in demand and price of conventional fuel (diesel) for power generation and to reduce the serious issues concerned with environmental pollution due to usage of neat diesel.