Scope and Limitations of Utilisation of Non-edible Vegetable Oils as a Substitute Fuel for Diesel Engines

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For India, there is a need to take a mission approach to explore the possibility of using straight  unmodified vegetable oils/ their blends with mineral diesel as alternative fuel in order to reduce the pollution and to increase the energy security of the country, especially in rural areas. This aimed at exploring technical feasibility of using straight vegetable oils (Jatropha and Karanja) in direct injection compression ignition engine without major hardware modifications. Since use of unprocessed straight vegetable oils has its own merits, it was decided to examine two most commonly available oils (in unmodified form) in an unmodified constant-speed direct-injection diesel engine typically used in the agricultural sector in India. Study was carried out in two phases for (i) Straight vegetable oils and their higher blend, and (ii) lower blends of vegetable oils. This project is carried out at Engine Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur...........................................................

1.It is possible to operate engines (Constant speed CI engines) with straight vegetable oils and blends by preheating and preconditioning of the vegetable oils and by changing the maintenance schedule, and changing to specialty lubricants, without deteriorating their operational durability. IIT Kanpur has developed a hardware, which will cost approximately Rs 500 (on mass production) and it can be added on to the engine for successfully using the vegetable oils in the engine.
2.
SVO/ SVO blends up to 50% are extremely safe for engine operation with pre-heating, in terms of performance, endurance and adverse effects on lubricating oils. In our opinion, SVO/ SVO blends will not require any modification in fuel injection pressure, and engine hardware and will perform satisfactorily on all performance and endurance criteria.
3.
The wear of the liner with engines operating on SVO were quite comparable to diesel engine therefore preheating the vegetable oil or blending with mineral diesel in lower concentration eliminates the problems of higher wear of cylinder liner and rings.
4.
The lubricating oil however will be required to have a new formulation suitable to combat highly oxidizing and polymer formation properties of vegetable oils. The oil companies will need to come out with newer additive packages suitable for SVO fuelled engines. The present generation lubricating oils will deplete their useful life in approximately 400 hours.
5.
One can use SVO by pre-heating or one can blend it with mineral diesel (up to 10% and no pre-heating) and these fuels will work satisfactorily in unmodified engines.............

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