Effect of Delay Period on Performance of Compression Engine Running on Jatropha Fuel

Abstract

Jatropha Biodiesel was tested in a single cylinder direct-injection, water cooled diesel engine to investigate the operational parameters of a small capacity diesel engine under five engine loads, constant speed test. The jatropha oil is used as a non edible oil to produce the biodiesel. The investigated blends were B0, B25, B50, B75 and B100, where (B#) denotes bio-diesel fuel volume percentage in diesel oil. The jatropha biodiesel was prepared locally in Sudan, specifications of which are given with reference to Petroleum Laboratories, Research and Studies Centre, Sudan. Each blend was tested on a short term basis and the results linked to ignition delay effect, a good firing was attained with the engine at various blends of jatropha bio-diesel blends in diesel oil fuel up to Bio-100 (pure biodiesel). Concerning ignition delay of the engine, which is a measure of ignition quality, it is less with low percentages of bio-fuel blends than that of high percentages. Finally it has been shown that blend (Bio75) was selected as a good blend since it has less mechanical friction loss, stability in exhaust heat loss, relatively good mechanical efficiency and, high stability in cooling engine heat loss.