PERFORMANCE, COMBUSTION AND EMISSION STRATEGIES OF HAZANTUS ALGAE METHYL ESTER BLENDS USING CERIUM OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AS ADDITIVE

Abstract

The world is presently confronted with the twin crises of fossil fuel depletion and environmental Degradation due to the usage of internal combustion (IC) engines which are the building block of the growth of modern civilization. The use of ‘bio-origin fuel’ may provide solution of this problem to certain extent. Algae is a moss family micro plant which is grown within one week having high lipid content. The oil yield from algae is about 20 to 90% achieved by various oil extraction process like solvent extraction method, soxhlet extraction, mechanical pressing, pyrolysis etc.…  To reduce the viscosity, separate the glycerin from the neat oil Transesterification is used. The Hazantus Algae Methyl ester (HAME) is blended with the fossil based diesel fuel and tested in a Computerized water cooled DI Engine. The performance, combustion and emission strategies were investigated with the addition of cerium oxide nanoparticles with the blended fuel. The blend HAME 10 is tested with the addition of Cerium Oxide Nano Particles at a proportion of 25 mg (HAME 10 CeO2 25 mg) and 50 mg (HAME 10 CeO2 50 mg). HAME 10 CeO2 50 mg produced better results interms of  performance, Combustion and emissions.