Author(s): Umeuzuegbu JC, Onukwuli OD and Nwanekezie MN

Abstract: This research work focused on diesel engine performance evaluation and emission analysis using sesame seed oil fatty acid methyl ester (SSOFAME). SSOFAME was synthesized by the reaction of sesame seed oil (SSO) with sodium hydroxide dissolved in methanol. The fuel properties of SSOFAME was evaluated based on American Standards for Testing of Materials (ASTM) method The engine performance evaluation of the sesame seed oil biodiesel and the blends B0, B20, B40, B60, B80 and B100 was carried out on Perkin 4:108 diesel engines to evaluate the engine performance characteristics of the fuel, T, BSFC, BTE and BP at varying speed. The trends of the plot of the performance characteristics with engine speed and brake power depicts the engine performance of the SSOFAME and the blends The engine emission analysis was carried out at varying loads using portable digital gas analyzer and a thermometer to obtain the GAS emission characteristics, EGT, CO, HC, and NOx. The plot of emission characteristics of the fuel with engine load shows the extent of emission compared to diesel. The fuel properties of the produced SSOFAME are density 850 kgm-3, kinematic viscosity 4.72 mm2/s, cetane number 59, flash point 170 °C, cloud point 2 °C, water and sediments 0.02%, acid value 0.25 mgKOH/g, calorific value 38.5 MJ/kg, iodine value 78.2gI2/100 g, pour point 0.5 °C, specific gravity 0.85, free fatty acid 0.13%, and refractive index 1.467. The results of the engine performance evaluation revealed that the engine performance characteristics, T, BTE, BP increased with increase in engine speed and peaked at an optimum speed of 160 rpm for B0 and B20 and 190 rpm for B40-B100 when it start declining with engine speed. The BSFC decrease with increase in engine speed and reached a minimum value at the speed of 160 rpm or 190 rpm as the case may be when it starts to increase with engine speed. B0 exhibit high, T, BTE and BP but lower BSFC compares to SSOFAME and the blends The lower the biodiesel fraction in the blend, the closer the engine performance characteristics approximate that of diesel fuel The results of emission test revealed that the CO, NOx, HC, and EGT increased with increase in engine load. Again the test shows that CO and HC decreased with increase in biodiesel fraction in the blend while NOx and EGT increased with increase in biodiesel fraction.

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