Effect of process parameters on the diesel engine performance fuelled with Prosopis juliflora biodiesel response surface methodology approach

Abstract

The rapid consumption of crude oil and resulting pollution are very severe problems in modern energy sectors. To meet these global problems, biodiesels obtained from non-edible plants can play a very crucial role. Keeping this idea in mind the present study focuses on making some efforts for the best utilization of innovative blends of Prosopis juliflora biodiesel in the operation of diesel engines. Four engine input parameters viz. fuel injection pressure (16–24 MPa), P. Juliflora biodiesel blends (0–10%), shaft loads (20–100%) and injection timing (15–31°bTDC (before top dead centre)) are selected for optimization process. The experiments were executed in accordance with response surface methodology. The results of the experiments revealed that the optimum combination for engine input parameters were at fuel injection timing 30°bTDC, fuel injection pressure 22 MPa, 4% P. juliflora biodiesel blending at 59% of engine load to achieve best performance. The individual desirability of brake thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumption, exhaust gas temperature and peak cylinder pressure were found to be 0.888, 0.949, 0.624 and 0.749, respectively, and the composite desirability of engine responses was found to be 0.7923 which makes the results acceptable.