A comparative study on environmental emissions and performance of a stationary type diesel engine fuelled with biodiesels derived from two different feedstocks

The objective of the present study was to experimentally investigate environmental emissions and performance of a stationary type diesel engine fuelled with biodiesels derived from two different feedstocks; one is more unsaturated (rice bran biodiesel) and the other one is more saturated in nature (palm biodiesel) and compare with petrodiesel. Tests were conducted in a single cylinder, air cooled, direct injection diesel engine. From the experimental results, it was found that the nitrogen oxides emissions were higher with biodiesel fuels. The hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions of palm biodiesel were lower than the other test fuels. The smoke emission of rice bran biodiesel was the lowest compared to the rest of the fuels. A considerable reduction in thermal efficiency was found with both the biodiesels when compared to diesel. From the present study, it is concluded that the biodiesels derived from palm and rice bran oils with their different fatty acid composition, show lower exhaust emissions and closer performance characteristics to diesel.