Experimental Investigation of Emission Reduction by Blending Methanol, Ethanol and Biodiesel with diesel on C.I. Engine

Experimental Investigation of Emission Reduction by Blending Methanol, Ethanol and Biodiesel with diesel on C.I. Engine

V. Veeraragavan1 , M. Sathiyamoorthy2

1. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolkite University, Ethiopia.

2. Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Defence University, Ethiopia.

   Abstract

   This research paper, the performance and the emission testings carried out on a single cylinder diesel engine. The experiment involves the blending of diesel with methanol, ethanol and biodiesel by some definite proportion by volume, in order to obtain the maximum blending at which the engine performs its best and also the emission of harmful gases get reduced. Biodiesel is obtained by trans- esterification of castor oil. Here the blending is done with 5%, 10% and 15% of methanol, ethanol and with 20% and 40% of biodiesel with that of diesel. By blending, improved efficiency of the diesel engine and consequently reduced emission of harmful gases can be obtained than diesel. Also the blended fuel has many other advantages. This blended fuel can be used in an automobile at lower cost than that of diesel and also with improved efficiency and reduced emission of gases.

   Keywords

   Bio-diesel, Diesel, Transesterification, Emission

   1. Introduction

      The world of century 2000 presents many critical challenges. One of the most important challenges concerns the environment. As population increases and the standard of living improve, there is an increasing concern that there will be shortage of energy to heat our homes and power the vehicles we so heavily depend on. We must also remember the need for clean air, clean water, clean fuel and biodegradable renewable materials. The demand for energy increases day by day. The world mostly depends on fossil fuels. Even though fossil

      fuels are the most efficient one, it has some deficiencies too. It has lower calorific values and higher shipping cost. Fossil fuels such as diesel, petrol etc; produces harmful gases such as oxides of carbon, sculpture and nitrogen as a result of combustion. These harmful gases disturb the ecological balance. The rising price of oil has brought a considerable strain to the economy of the world. Moreover developing countries does not posses oil reserves to satisfy the increasing need of energy. According to the recent studies fossil fuels are available for about 100 more years. While using fossils as a main source of thermal power, there is a fear that will get exhausted in the recent centuries. The present crisis demands the need of an alternative fuel. The need of an alternative fuel can be fulfilled by a processed fuel derived from biological sources called biodiesel. Advances in technology have allowed development of alternative energy sources. Alternative energy sources are renewable, cleaner, and more dependable than traditional fuels. Methanol, ethanol and biodiesel are an alternative energy sources.

   2. Experimental Setup

These experiments are done in a single cylinder diesel engine. The main components of the experimental setup are:

1. Single cylinder diesel engine

2. Fuel supply line

3. Exhaust gas analyzer

The single cylinder diesel engine is connected to the fuel tank through a pipe. Through this pipe the fuel is supplied continuously to the engine cylinder. The engine is having a cam shaft which is to be rotated to start the engine. The fuel tank is fitted with a burette having the divisions in centimeter. This

is used to measure the time taken to consume 10 cc of fuel by the engine. Also the engine is

having one manometer which shows the1. readings to measure the pressure in the pipe.

The whole engine is supplied with water that acts as coolant which is circulated using a pump. The coolant takes away the heat from the engine and discharges it outside and is again circulated using the pump. The exhaust gas analyzer is used to measure the emission of harmful gases. This analyzer is fitted to one probe whose other end is connected to the exhaust pipe of the engine. Because of this, some exhaust gas will flow into the analyzer and thus it will show the readings. Care should be taken while draining out the excess fuel out of the engine in order to prevent air lock before doing the other sets of experiment.

3. Engine Specification

The biodiesel produced is made to run on an IC engine and its performance is recorded.

1. Type of engine : Vertical, C.I. four stroke cycle

2. Speed: high speed.

3. Number of Cylinders: One

4. Brake Power: 3.7 KW

5. Speed: 1500 rpm

6. Bore: 80mm

7. Stroke: 110mm

8. Compression Ratio: 16:1

9. Cooling: Water cooling

10. Orifice diameter: 0.02m

11. Coefficient discharge: 0.62m

12. Type of loading: brake drum dynameters.

13. Radius of brake drum: 0.1524m

    4. General Procedure before Starting

    1. Check cooling water supply and fuel supply to engine before starting.

    2. Then change the position of the de- composition lever.

    3. Shaft the engine of rotating the constant manually and change the position of the de-combustion lever to normal position

5. Set of observation

1. Speed of camshaft (to calculate the speed of crank shaft.).

2. Manometer difference ( to calculate the amount of air blow)

3. Time taken for 10cc of fuel consumption in the burette.

   1. Experiment Procedure

      The fuel tank is first filled with the diesel using which the engine performance tests and emission testing is to be done. Then the cam shaft of the engine is rotated to start the engine at zero load. As the engine started, it is left for 5 mins. Then the readings are taken for the time taken to consume 10 cc of fuel. Gradually the load is being increased on the engine by adding 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Kg. Similarly the readings are taken for the time taken to consume 10 cc of fuel. Also the manometer readings are taken to find out the pressure inside the pipe. Consequently the emission values of the exhaust gas at different load conditions are obtained. Using this exhaust gas analyzer NOX, CO2, CO & Hydrocarbon have been found out.

      Once the experiment is done using diesel then

      we use the blended diesel with methanol, ethanol & biodiesel by varying the amount by volume. At first 5% methanol is blended with diesel and the performance and emission values are compared with that of diesel. This M5 (5% methanol) blending is then poured into the fuel tank only after draining out the entire earlier diesel left after the experiment. Care should be taken at the time of draining to prevent airlock of the engine. After that the same process is repeated as above.

      Similarly the same procedure is done with other blending such as M10 (10% methanol), M15 (15% methanol), E5 (5% ethanol), E10 (10% ethanol), E15 (15% ethanol), B20 (20% biodiesel) & B40 (40% biodiesel). All the values are noted down and the performance and emission graphs are plotted with respect to diesel. The optimum blending has been found out after the experiments at which the engine performance is best and the emission of harmful gases are lesser.

   2. List of Observation

1. Emission & performance test using diesel

2. Emission & performance test using 5% methanol blending

3. Emission &am; performance test using 10% methanol blending

4. Emission & performance test using 15% methanol blending

5. Emission & performance test using 5% ethanol blending

6. Emission & performance test using 10% ethanol blending

7. Emission & performance test using 15% ethanol blending

8. Emission & performance test using 20% biodiesel blending

9. Emission & performance test using 40% biodiesel blending

Here the emission of CO2 decreases after blending. After E5, emission decreases further.

LOAD VS EMISSION OF CO

8. Results and Discussion Emission Graphs

LOAD VS EMISSION OF NOX

EMISSION IN PPM

24

0.04

EMISSION IN %

0.03

0.02

0.01

0

1 2 3 4 5

DIESEL E5

E10 E15

21

18

15

12

9

6

3

0

0 10 20 30 50

DIESEL E5 E10 E15

LOAD IN (N)

This graph shows the load vs emission of CO. Here also same behavior is shown, emission decreases after blending up to E15.

LOAD IN (N)

This graph is drawn between the load and the emission of NOx. It is found out that after blending the emission reduces. Here E5 is optimum blending for emission since after this the NOx emission increases.

LOAD VS EMISSION OF NOX

LOAD VS EMISSION OF HC

EMISSION IN PPM

15

10

5

DIESEL E5

E10 E15

EMISSION IN PPM

25 DIESEL

20

15 M5

10 M10

5

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

M15

In this the emission of HC decreases as we increase the percentage of blending up to E15.

EMISSION IN %

1.5

1

0.5

0

LOAD VS EMISSION OF CO2

DIESEL E5

E10

E15

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

Here also the emission characteristics are same like ethanol blending. The NOX emission decreases after blending but after E5 the emission increases.

Here the emission of CO2 decreases after blending. After E5 emission decreases further.

LOAD VS EMISSION OF CO

0.06

LOAD VS EMISSION OFCO2

1.6

EMISSION IN %

1.4

EMISSION IN %

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

DIESEL M5 M10 M15

1.2

1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

Diese l

B20 B40

This graph shows the load vs emission of CO. Here also same behavior is shown, emission decreases after blending up to E15.

Here the emission of CO2 decreases after blending up to B20. At B40 blending there is again an increase in emission.

LOAD VS EMISSION OF HC

EMISSION IN PPM

15

10

5

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

DIESEL M5 M10 M15

0.04

EMISSION IN %

0.03

0.02

0.01

0

LOAD VS EMISSION OF CO

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

Diese l

B20

In this the emission of HC decreases as we increase the percentage of blending up to E15.

From this graph it is found out that the CO emission decreases after blending to B20. But after that it increases at B40 blending.

LOAD VS EMISSION OF NOX

EMISSION IN PPM

25

20

Diesel

15

10 B20

5 B40

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

LOAD VS EMISSION OF HC

EMISSION IN PPM

15

10

5

0

0 10 20 30 50

LOAD IN (N)

Diesel B20 B40

This graph shows the emission of NOx with the load. After blending the emission decreases for B20 but again increases at B40 blending.

From this graph it is found out that the emission of HC decreases after blending from B20 to B40.

Conclusion

Based on my experimental analysis of emission and performance testing, the following conclusions are drawn –

1. The level of NOx was found to be considerably less after blending with methanol, ethanol and biodiesel.

2. Also other gases like CO2, CO and HC were found to be less after blending with methanol, ethanol and biodiesel.

3. Emission of CO is reduced by 40- 50%.

4. Emission of NOx is reduced by 25- 40%

5. Emission of HC is reduced by 8-10%

6. Emission of CO2 is reduced by 9-12%

References:

1. Experimental investigation of jatropha oil methanol, dual fuel engine by M.Senthil Kumar, A.Ramesh, B.Nagalingam, IIT Madras, 2001, SAE journal.

2. Use of vegetable oil as I.C.engine fuels- A review by A.S.Ramadhas, S.Jayaraj, C.Muralidheeren,NIT Calicut,2003,renewable energy Elsevier journal

3. Characterization and effect of using rubber seed oil as fuel in C.I.engine by A.S.Ramadhas, S.Jayaraj,

   C.Muralidheeren, NIT

   Calicut,2004,renewable energy Elsevier journal.

4. Biodiesel development and characterization for use as a fuel in C.I.Engine by A.K.Agarwal, L.M.Das, April 2000, university of Wis cosin, IIT Delhi, Journal of engineering, gas turbine and power (ASME)

5. Experimental Investigation of Castrol oil Methyl Esters as biodiesel on compression Ignition Engine by V.Veeraragavan , International Journal of Engineering and Research,Volume-2,February- 2013,ISSN:2278-0181.

6. Experimental Investigation of Cotton seed oil and Methyl Esters as biodiesel on C.I Engine by V.Veeraragavan, Journal of Current

   Engineering research,Volume-2,Issue- 5,September-October-012,ISSN:8324.

7. Deepak Agarwal, Lokesh Kumar, Avinash Kumar Agarwal, Performance Evaluation of a Vegetable oil fuelled CI Engine, Renewable Energy, June 2007.

8. Rakesh Sarin, Meeta Sharma , IOCL, Jatropha- Palm biodiesel blends: An optimum mix for Asia, FUEL 86,2007, PP:1365-71.

[10] Pryde, E.H.,Vegetable oil fuel standards, proceedings of the ASAE international conference on plant and vegetable oil fuels.1982.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Mr.V.Veeraragavan has received the Master of Engineering in Thermal Engineering from Anna University in 2004. He did the Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

from University of Madras in 1998. Currently he is working as an Assistant Professor in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolkite University, Ministry of Education, Ethiopia. He has blended experience of 13 years in teaching and research in the field of Mechanical Engineering. He has published a number of international journal papers. His areas of research interest include Heat and Mass Transfer, I.C.Engines and Power Plant Engineering.

Mr.M.Sathiyamoorthy has received the Master of Technology in Chemical Plant Design from National Institute of Technology, Trichy in 1999. He did the Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering from

Coimbatore Institute of Technology in 1998. He also did post graduate diploma in Industrial Biotechnology from Annamalai University. Currently he is working as an Assistant Professor in Department of Chemical Engineering, Defence University, Ministry of Defence, Ethiopia. He has around 13 years of experience in teaching, industry and research in the field of Chemical Engineering. He has participated in many conferences and published

15 research publications in reputed international journal articles. He is one of the

editorial board reviewers in 4 International journals. His areas of research interest includes Process equipment design, Heat Transfer, Biotechnology & Industrial waste water treatment.