K. M. V. Ravi Teja

Renewable fuels are alternative resources that find use in the power generation, agricultural, and transportation sectors. The sustainable utility of these renewable fuels mostly addresses the socio-economic issues of a country and reduces its dependency on fossil fuels. In addition, being environmentally friendly allows them to handle global warming more effectively. Two B20 fuel blends were produced using methyl esters of cashew nutshell and jamun seed oils to test the performance of the common rail direct injection engine. To improve the engine performance, injection parameters such as nozzle geometry, injection time, and injector opening pressure are used. Improved brake thermal efficiency and lower emissions of smoke, hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were achieved with the help of advancing the injection timing, raising the injector opening pressure, and increasing the number of injector nozzle holes. In addition to reducing the ignition delay, extending the combustion duration, and increasing the peak pressure, the revised injection settings also boosted the heat release rates. At the maximum load, compared to CHNOB B20, JAMNSOB B20 showed a significant rise in the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) by 4.94% and a considerable decrease in smoke emissions (0.8%) with an increase in NOx (1.45%), by varying the injection timing, injection pressure, and nozzle geometry of the common rail direct injection (CRDI) engine.

Biodiesel is a renewable energy source which is gaining prominence as an alternative fuel over fossil diesel for different applications. Due to their higher viscosity and lower volatility, biodiesels are blended with diesel in various proportions. B20 blends are viable and sustainable solutions in diesel engines with acceptable engine performance as they can replace 20% fossil fuel usage. Biodiesel blends are slightly viscous as compared with diesel and can be used in common rail direct injection (CRDI) engines which provide high pressure injection using an electronic control unit (ECU) with fuel flexibility. In view of this, B20 blends of three biodiesels derived from cashew nutshell (CHNOB (B20)), jackfruit seed (JACKSOB (B20)), and Jamun seed (JAMNSOB (B20)) oils are used in a modified single-cylinder high-pressure-assisted CRDI diesel engine. At a BP of 5.2 kW, for JAMNSOB (B20) operation, BTE, NOx, and PP increased 4.04%, 0.56%, and 5.4%, respectively, and smoke, HC, CO, ID, and CD decreased 5.12%, 6.25%, 2.75%, 5.15%, and 6.25%, respectively, as compared with jackfruit B20 operation.

Environmentally friendly, renewable, and green fuels have many benefits over fossil fuels, particularly regarding energy efficiency, in addition to addressing environmental and socioeconomic problems. As a result, green fuels can be used in transportation and power generating applications. Furthermore, being green can ably address the emission-related issues of global warming. In view of the advantages of renewable fuels, two B20 fuel blends obtained from methyl esters of cashew nutshell (CHNOB), jackfruit seed (JACKFSNOB), and jamun seed oils (JAMSOB) were selected to evaluate the performance of a common rail direct injection (CRDI) engine. Compatibility of the nozzle geometry (NG) and combustion chamber shape (CCS) were optimized for increased engine performance. The optimized CCS matched with an increased number of injector nozzle holes in NG showed reasonably improved brake thermal efficiency (BTE), reduced emissions of smoke, HC, and CO, respectively, while NOx increased. Further combustion parameters, such as ignition delay (ID) and combustion duration (CD) reduced, while peak pressure (PP) and heat release rates (HRR) increased at the optimized injection parameters. The CRDI engine powered with JAMSOB B20 showed an increase in BTE of 4–5%, while a significant reduction in HC and CO emissions was obtained compared to JACKFSNOB B20 and CHNOB B20, with increased NOx.