Effect of Jatrophaand Ethanol Biofuel Blending on Performance of Agricultural Diesel Engine Tractors - Sudan

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of fuel type ( pure diesel, blending 10% of Jatropha oil with diesel (J10%), blending 14% of Jatropha oil with blending (J14%),blending 10% of ethanol with diesel (E10%), blending 14% of ethanol with diesel (E14%), blending 10% of Jatropha oil and 10% of ethanol with diesel (J10%, E10%) and blending 14% of Jatropha oil and 14% of ethanol with diesel (J14%, E14%)), on exhaust gases, engine speed, implement draft and power requirement and fuel consumption. The results showed that, Blending J14%, E14% recorded the highest rate of fuel consumption as 4.60 l/h compared with pure diesel which recorded 3.90 l/h. Pure diesel fuel recorded the lowest engine speed of 2174 rpm, while the fuel blends recorded engine speed in the range of 2529 – 2583 rpm. The fuel blend J14% recorded the lowest ppm of CO and of NO2.The J10%, E14% and J10% with E10% blending‘s recorded the lowest SO2 as zero ppm. Pure diesel recorded the highest power requirement of 6.81 kW while J14% recorded the lowest power of 5.32 kW. Ethanol blending‘s showed higher power than Jatropha blending by 19.7%. Statistical analysis showed that, the effect of fuel blending on draft and power, gases exhausted, engine speed and fuel consumption were not significant.