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The purpose of this paper is to experimentally investigate the effect of biodiesel fuel blending and heating on engine torque and power.

To obtain torque and power data, a 1200 AWD dynamometer was used. The 1200 AWD dynamometer is a device used to obtain readings, and is made up of a chassis, inertia roller, roller sensor and converter modules, and can also be connected to a personal computer.

The result revealed that biodiesel blending and heating significantly affected torque and power. When only biodiesel blend ratio was varied, the highest torque and power were obtained at 30 per cent fuel blending. Also, the highest torque and power were obtained at 20 mm when only a spaced finned tube heater was used. When both variables were combined, the highest torque was obtained at a 20 per cent biodiesel blend and a 10 mm radial radiator finned spacing. Maximum power for two variables was obtained at the 20 per cent blend ratio and 20 mm finned tube heater spacing.

A novel radial finned tube heater is used.

This study aims at improving combustion process to reduce emissions. Emissions such as carbon monoxide, particulate matter and unburnt hydrocarbons are a result of incomplete combustion. These emissions have useful energy but cannot be reclaimed. Hence, to enhance combustion, effect of biofuel blending on diesel combustion was investigated.

Essential oils have been found easier for blending with diesel because of simple molecular structure compared to vegetable oils. Lavender oil is an essential oil which has not yet been studied by blending with diesel. The major constituents of lavender oil are linalyl acetate (cetane number improver) and linalool (nitrogen oxides reduction). A single-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine was run by blending diesel with lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia oil [LAO]) in varying proportions, 5%, 10% and 15% by volume.

Higher heat release rate (HRR) was observed using lavender oil blends compared to pure diesel. Compared to diesel, an increase in brake-specific fuel consumption using blends was observed. LAO15 has the lowest CO emissions at all loading conditions, 29.3% less at 100% load compared to diesel. LAO5 and LAO15 have 6.9% less HC emissions at 100% load condition compared to diesel. LAO15 has only 1.3% higher NO_x emissions compared to diesel at 100% load condition. LAO5 has the lowest smoke content at all loading conditions.

Lavender oil was used directly without any processing. Tested on single-cylinder engine.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, currently, there is no published work on lavender oil–diesel combination. Lavender oil can provide a simple renewable solution for diesel additives with potential up to 15% blending.

This paper aims to review the role of government initiatives for developing clean fuels in India, decarbonize the transport sector and maximize the use of renewable sources of energy. India’s socio-economic prosperity is dependent on modern energy. The authors examine the role of biofuel in India’s emerging fuel mix.

A 20-year timeframe between 2000 and 2021 was set to learn about the subject and find the existing gaps. Of the 40 research papers, the authors found using keywords and delimiting criteria in the database, the authors have shortlisted 21 papers, which provided the theoretical framework for the study. Additionally, the authors used the government database to develop future projections using compound annual growth rate and trend analysis.

The study findings suggest that India should strictly implement the Biofuel Policy to promote indigenous production of biofuel to enhance affordability and accessibility. With blending options available with biofuels and biogas, the country can replace the right proportion of fossil fuel use by 2050. It will not only decrease India’s import dependence but also will create new job opportunities, specifically in tribal and remote locations and promote green energy mix. With emerging options like electric vehicle and hydrogen, the transport sector could be decarbonized to a greater extent.

Indigenous cleaner fuel adoption and transport sector will generate additional employment and cut down fossil fuel import. Financial savings through reduced fossil fuel import will be directed toward social development.

The paper carries out critical analysis for the active use of modern green fuels in the present and coming days. Such unique analysis must help India to balance its energy basket.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the physical, chemical and thermal characteristics of paraffin-blended fuels to determine their suitability as fuel in hybrid rockets.

Wax fuels are viable and efficient alternatives to conventional rocket fuels, having excellent structural strength and thermal and mechanical properties. The authors report a study of the morphological, chemical and thermal properties of paraffin wax with and without additives for use as fuels in hybrid rockets. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used for the morphological and chemical characterizations of the fuel blends. The thermal stability and combustion characteristics were assessed under an atmosphere of nitrogen by the simultaneous application of thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry techniques.

The melting temperatures for pure paraffin and other formulations were around 61°C as seen in differential scanning calorimetry experiments. Variations in the compositions of monoesters, n-alkanes, fatty acids, carboxylic acids methyl and hydroxyl esters in the fuel samples were assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The assessment criterion was chosen as the relative content of carbonyl groups, and the ratio of the stretching vibration of the C–C bonds to the deformation vibration of the aliphatic carbon–hydrogen bonds was taken as the basis for the quantitative calibration. The crystal phases identified by X-ray diffraction were used to identify nonlinear chemicals and alkane lengths. Scanning electron microscopy validated homogeneity in the paraffin-blended samples.

This study presents the thermal stability and other relevant characteristics of fuel formulations comprising unconventional blends.

The rise in demand and high utilization of fuel causes severe environmental threat for the nations on the globe. Rapid burning potential of hydrogen produces enormous amount of thrust, and it is mainly owing to wide flame range and less onset of ignition.

The significant contribution of hydrogen as fuel has been explored by several researchers around the globe recently to use in aviation sector owing to its eco-friendly nature. Hydrogen is a safe and clean fuel, and it can be generated from several sources. The effects of addition on hydrogen on gas turbine on combustion characteristics and emission concentration level on atmosphere have been reviewed in this paper.

Incorporation of hydrogen is effective reducing nitrous oxide emission, high calorific value and flame less combustion. Addition of hydrogen to higher proportions enhances the combustion performance, minimizing the setbacks of conventional fuel and meets the specified standards on emission.

From the literature review, the comparative study on hydrogen with other fuel is explained. This paper concludes that addition of hydrogen in fuel enhances the performance of combustion on gas turbine engine along with significant reduction in emission levels.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine is an advanced combustion method to use alternate fuel with higher fuel economy and, reduce NOX and soot emissions. This paper aims to investigate the influence of ethanol fraction (ethanol plus gasoline) on dual fuel HCCI engine performance.

In this study, the existing CI engine is modified into dual fuel HCCI engine by attaching the carburetor to the inlet manifold for the supply of ethanol blend (E40/E60/E80/E100). The mixture of ethanol blend and the air is ignited by diesel through a fuel injector into the combustion chamber at the end of the compression stroke. The experiments are conducted for high load conditions on the engine i.e. 2.8 kW and 3.5 kW maximum output power for 1,500 constant rpm.

It is noticed from the experimental results that, with an increase of ethanol in the blends, ignition delay (ID) increases and the start of combustion is retarded. It is noticed that E100 shows the highest ID and low in-cylinder pressure; however, E40 shows the lowest ID compared to higher fractions of ethanol blends. An increase in ethanol proportion reduces NOX and smoke opacity but, HC and CO emissions increase compared to pure diesel mode engine. E100 plus diesel dual-fuel HCCI engine shows the highest brake thermal efficiency compared to remaining ethanol blends and baseline diesel engine.

This experimental study concluded that E100 plus diesel and E80 plus diesel gave optimum dual fuel HCCI engine performance for 2.8 kW and 3.5 kW rated power, respectively.

The purpose of this paper is to present the influence of plastic pyrolysis oil blended with gasoline at 10 per cent with and without ethanol additive at 5 per cent in a three-cylinder petrol engine.

The engine is running at standard working processes. The result of 10PPO is compared with pure petrol and additive-added blend. The outcomes clears that, the engine performance is reduced by using plastic oil blended with petrol and NO_x emission rates are increasing substantially.

To control the emission rate, ethanol is added, and corresponding performance reveals that brake thermal efficiency is 4.52 per cent increase compared to pure petrol and 7.03 per cent increase compared to without additive blend.

Emissions such as CO and NOx are considerably controlled with additive blend.

The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of fuel blends containing ethanol and gasoline in spark ignition engines. The aim is to explore alternative fuels that can enhance performance while minimizing or eliminating adverse environmental impacts, particularly in the context of limited fossil fuel availability and the need for sustainable alternatives.

The authors used the Ricardo Wave software to evaluate the performance of fuel blends with varying ethanol content (represented as E0, E10, E25, E40, E55, E70, E85 and E100) in comparison to gasoline. The assessment involved different composition percentages and was conducted at various engine speeds (1,500, 3,000, 4,500 and 6,000 rpm). This methodology aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how different ethanol-gasoline blends perform under different conditions.

The study found that, across all fuel blends, the highest brake power (BP) and the highest brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were observed at 6,000 rpm. Additionally, it was noted that the presence of ethanol in gasoline fuel blends has the potential to increase both the BP and BSFC. These findings suggest that ethanol can positively impact the performance of spark-ignition engines, highlighting its potential as an alternative fuel.

This research contributes to the ongoing efforts in the automotive industry to find sustainable alternative fuels. The use of Ricardo Wave software for performance assessment and the comprehensive exploration of various ethanol-gasoline blends at different engine speeds add to the originality of the study. The emphasis on the potential of ethanol to enhance engine performance provides valuable insights for motor vehicle manufacturers and researchers working on alternative fuel solutions.

Energy is the prime mover of economic growth and is vital to the sustenance of a modern economy. Future economic growth depends heavily on the long-term availability of energy from sources that are affordable, accessible and environmentally friendly. Regulating the sulfur content in diesel fuel is expected to reduce the lubricity of these fuels, which may result in increased wear and damage of fuel injection systems in diesel engines.

The tribological properties of the biodiesels as additive in pure petro-diesel are studied by ball-on-ring wear tester to find optimal concentration, and the mechanism of the reduction of wear and friction will be investigated by optical microscopy.

Studies have shown that low concentrations of biodiesel blends are more effective as lubricants because of their superior polarity. Using biodiesel as a fuel additive in a pure petroleum diesel fuel improves engine performance and exhaust emissions. The high biodegradability and superior lubricating property of biodiesel when used in compression ignition engines renders it an excellent fuel.

This detailed experimental investigation confirms that biodiesel can substitute mineral diesel without any modification in the engine. The use of biofuels as diesel engine fuels can play a vital role in helping the developed and developing countries to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels.

Engine component endurance is related to fuel properties. Decreasing the sulfur content of a fuel reduces its lubricity, thus damaging engines and fuel systems. Therefore, promoting the use of a biofuel must involve assessing the functionality and lubricity of the fuel.

The ball-on-ring (BOR) wear tester was applied to determine the optimal additive concentration and the mechanism of reduction of the wear and friction of the diesel engine fuel injection system. The lubricating efficiency of the fuels was estimated by using a photomicroscope to measure the average diameter of the wear scar produced on the test ball. An optical microscope and scanning electronic microscope were used for wear surface examinations.

The wear test revealed that the wear diameter of the steel ball lubricated with either the pure petrodiesel or 20 Wt.per cent Jatropha curcas biodiesel blends was 1.36 or 1.05 mm, respectively. The experimental results indicated that when Jatropha curcas biodiesel was added into petrodiesels to reduce friction, the wear resistance of the fuel blends increased concurrently with increasing Jatropha curcas biodiesel concentration. This was attributed to the presence of stearic acid in Jatropha curcas biodiesel blends. Stearic acid has a strong affinity for metal surfaces; therefore, a chemical coating was formed between the two motion surfaces to protect the two contacted surfaces from wear. Therefore, the proposed Jatropha curcas biodiesel can be used to effectively enhance the lubricity of a petrodiesel under the condition of boundary lubrication.

Using biofuels as the fuels for diesel engines can assist developed and developing countries in reducing the impacts of their fossil fuel consumption on the environment.