Role of spirulina microalgae blends in the micro gas turbine on engine performance and emission characteristics

Abstract

Purpose

Diesel has traditionally been considered the best-suited and most widely used fuel in various sectors, including manufacturing industries, power production, automobiles and transportation. However, with the ongoing crisis of fossil fuel inadequacy, the search for alternative fuels and their application in these sectors has become increasingly important. One particularly interesting and beneficial alternative fuel is biodiesel derived from bio sources.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, an attempt was made to use biodiesel in an unconventional micro gas turbine engine. It will remove the concentric use of diesel engines for power production by improving fuel efficiency as well as increasing the power production rate. Before the fuel is used enormously, it has to be checked in many ways such as performance, emission and combustion analysis experimentally.

Findings

In this paper, a detailed experimental study was made for the use of Spirulina microalgae biodiesel in a micro gas turbine. A small-scale setup with the primary micro gas turbine and secondary instruments such as a data acquisition system and AVL gas analyser. The reason for selecting the third-generation microalgae is due to its high lipid and biodiesel production rate. For the conduction of experimental tests, certain conditions were followed in addition that the engine rotating rpm was varied from 4,000, 5,000 and 6,000 rpm. The favourable and predicted results were obtained with the use of microalgae biodiesel.

Originality/value

The performance and combustion results were not exactly equal or greater for biodiesel blends but close to the values of pure diesel; however, the reduction in the emission of CO was at the appreciable level for the used spirulina microalgae biodiesel. The emission of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide was a little higher than the use of pure diesel. This experimental analysis results proved that the use of spirulina microalgae biodiesel is both economical and effective replacement for fossil fuel.

Citation

R., G. and Devi, B. (2024), "Role of spirulina microalgae blends in the micro gas turbine on engine performance and emission characteristics", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 96 No. 8, pp. 1092-1098. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-02-2023-0052