EFFECTS OF PKO-BIODIESEL BLENDS ON TRACTOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE UNDER VARYING TORQUE CONSTANT SPEED

Abstract

Biodiesel as an alternative to fossil diesel is gaining momentum with severe concerns about its effect on engine performance. As a renewable fuel for agricultural tractors, its performance should produce positive results in field tractor operating conditions. Hence this study examines the effect of various blends (B5, B10, B20, B30, B40) and pure palm kernel biodiesel (B100) on the engine performance of a four-cylinder CI diesel engine (David Brown 990: 58 hp; 2WD) at Farm Power and Machinery Test laboratory Centre (FPMTLC), Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Each fuel test was performed using the Heenan-Froude hydraulic dynamometer engine-test-bed, and pure petroleum diesel (B0) was first conducted to generate the baseline data. The objective of the study was to determine the fuel consumption rates (FC), energy expended, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and brake thermal efficiency, under varying torque (178 – 227.09 Nm) at a constant speed. The variables calculated were analyzed and compared to determine the differences in the engine performance and the optimum test fuel. The results obtained for the fuel consumption rates showed that B10 was the optimum or preferred fuel to B0 and B100. The fuel consumption (FC), brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), energy expended, and thermal efficiency for B10 was 3.687 m³/s, 0.102 l/kWh, 8868.8 kJ, and 98.8%, respectively. The result was similar to earlier studies. Hence, for sustainable fuel consumption in line with IPCC protocol, fuel blends should be encouraged to reduce climate change.