Comparative performance analysis of diesel engine fuelled with hydrogen enriched edible and non-edible biodiesel

In the present study, a comparative analysis of enrichment of hydrogen alongside diesel fuel and two different sources of biodiesel namely rice bran oil is an edible oil, and karanja oil being non-edible is tested. Hydrogen at a fixed flow rate of 7 lpm is inducted through the intake manifold. A total of six fuel samples are considered: diesel (D), hydrogen-enriched diesel (D + H-2), hydrogen-enriched 10, and 20% rice bran biodiesel blend (RB10 + H-2 and RB20 + H-2), and hydrogen-enriched 10 and 20% karanja biodiesel blend (KB10 + H-2 and KB20 + H-2). Results indicate that enrichment of hydrogen improves combustion and results in 2.5% and 1.6% increase in the brake thermal efficiency of diesel fuel and rice bran biodiesel, respectively. For karanja biodiesel the increment is negligible. Fuel consumption of the D + H-2 is 6.35% lower and for RB10 + H2 and KB10 + H-2 it is decreased by 2.9% and 1.3%, respectively. The Presence of hydrogen shows the 4-38% lower CO emissions and 6-14% lower UHC emission due to better combustion. The blends RB10 + H-2 and KB10 + H-2 produce up to 6-13% higher NOx emission and that for the blends RB20 + H-2 and KB20 + H-2 it goes up to 25%. Overall rice bran oil is found to provide better performance than karanja biodiesel. (c) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Hydrogen enrichment improves combustion and increases thermal efficiency, while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Rice bran oil performs better than karanja biodiesel in terms of performance.