G. Britto Joseph

Various strategies for reducing Nox emissions of biodiesel fuel used in conventional diesel engines: A review

ABSTRACT Energy demand, decreasing fossil fuel reserves, and health-related issues about pollutants have led researchers to search for renewable alternative fuels to either partially or fully replace fossil fuels. Among many alternative fuels, biodiesel became one of the most popular choices due to similar properties to that of conventional diesel. Biodiesel produces slightly lower brake thermal efficiency compared to that of conventional biodiesel, but has an advantage of reduced emissions of CO2, CO, HC, and smoke. However, biodiesel shows higher NOx emission which, when used in increased biodiesel market, may become a serious problem. Various strategies were attempted by different researcher to reduce NOx emissions. In this paper, various strategies, adapted for reducing NOx emissions of biodiesel fuel used in diesel engines for automobile applications, are reviewed and discussed. The strategies are grouped into three major groups, namely combustion treatments, exhaust after-treatments, and fuel treatments. Among various strategies discussed, fuel treatments, such as low temperature combustion, mixing fuel additives and reformulating fuel composition, reduce NOx emission without compromising other emission and performance characteristics and they seem to be promising for future biodiesel fuel.

Enhancement of uniform temperature distribution during casting solidification by methoding process

ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study was to adapt proper methoding models to improve the cast ability and reduce the defects in casting. According to many researchers, 90% of the defects in casting are due to the wrong design of gating and riser systems and 10% due to casting defects. Here we are improving the runner and riser placement through methoding process. In the present work, to validate the advantages of methoding, we have selected casting model with and without methoding, temperature distribution over various positions have been analysed and it is found that casting model with methoding provides uniform temperature distribution.

Energy saving in an air conditioning system using modified HVAC unit as an energy reducer

ABSTRACT Nowadays, global warming, environment pollution, and limitations in energy resources have appeared as a serious global crisis. Therefore, energy efficiency and energy conservation are necessary in all energy-consuming devices, such as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The aims of this project are to evaluate the performance and energy conservation of a conventional air conditioning system and also compare its performance with the proposed HVAC system, which consists of a heat recovery unit to reduce the initial capital cost and electricity consumption of the system. Through hour-by-hour simulations, the annual energy consumptions of these two systems have to be calculated and analysed. A CO2-based demand controlled ventilation strategy offers a great opportunity to reduce additional energy consumption in the above HVAC systems, while providing the required ventilation.

Performance and Emission characteristics of cotton seed and neem oil biodiesel with CeO2 additives in a single-cylinder diesel engine

ABSTRACT Energy utilisation from renewable sources plays a vital role in meeting the demands of a clean environment. Commercialisation of biodiesel is comparatively less than that of other alternative sources due to its suitability and yield. This paper is focused on performance and emission characteristics of neem oil biodiesel and cotton seed oil biodiesel blended with cerium oxide as an additive. The blending proportion was B10, B20, B30, B40 and 100% diesel. The testing was performed in a single-cylinder diesel engine coupled with an exhaust gas analyser. The performance characteristics were obtained in between the brake power with specific fuel consumption and emission characteristics such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other gases. It was observed that the combination of B20 proportion with CeO2 blend produces effect results with other blends in specific fuel consumption and reduced emission behaviour.

Optimisation of process parameters for electroless nickel plating on SS316L for refrigeration systems

ABSTRACT Nowadays, refrigeration systems are important for industrial and domestic applications. The coefficient of performance of a vapour compression refrigeration system can be improved if a reduction in the work of compression can be achieved by a suitable technique for a specified heat removal rate. The present study investigates the effect of material coating of electroless nickel (EN) plating. The friction and wear experiments were performed using a four-ball machine tribo tester. Controlling the EN plating parameters plays an important role in the quality of coating. It depends on the wear scar rate of the coated material. So it is necessary to optimise the process parameters of EN plating. The experimental studies have been conducted under varying pressure, load and time on quality characteristics. In this paper, optimisation of process parameters using response surface methodology technique for EN plating was discussed.

Effect of Intake Air Oxygen Enrichment for Improving Engine Performance and Emissions Control in Diesel Engine

ABSTRACT Stringent emission regulations and health awareness about air pollution have led researchers to find alternative means of minimising emissions in diesel engines. In this article, the influence of oxygen enrichment is discussed to determine the effect on diesel engine performance, emission characteristics and combustion characteristics. Normal diesel and oxygen-enriched diesel are used in this experiment. The increase in oxygen concentration led to complete combustion, producing higher thermal efficiency and low harmful emissions. From the results, it is noted that oxygen-enriched diesel fuel showed reduction of CO, HC and smoke emissions, while NOx emission increased. Abbreviations/Nomenclature DI: direct injection; NOx: oxides of nitrogen; O2: oxygen; HC: hydrocarbon; PM: particulate matters; CO: carbon monoxide; CO2: carbon dioxide

Waste into Energy Conversion technologies and conversion of food wastes into the potential products: a review

One third of the food produced globally for human consumption is either lost or wasted every year. These food wastes, if not handled with care, lead to public health problems and environmental poll...

Influence of Diethyl Ether on Engine Performance and Emissions Characteristics of Blends of Butanol, Pentanol or Biodiesel (Neem Oil Methyl Ester) in a Single Cylinder Diesel Engine

ABSTRACTBiodiesel has become a promising alternative biofuel that exhibits problems like high cost of feedstock, poor atomisation due to high viscosity, stability issues, poor flow properties and h...

Comparative investigation of the effects of lower and higher alcohols/bio-diesel blends on engine performance and emissions characteristics of a diesel engine

ABSTRACT The use of lower alcohol (such as methanol and ethanol) blends in diesel engines shows problems like phase separation, miscibility, higher NOx emissions etc. The addition of higher alcohols with either diesel or biodiesel is relatively new and only a little information is available on the effects of higher alcohols. In this work, the engine performance and emissions characteristics were compared between the lower and higher alcohol blended with biodiesel. Conventional diesel and biodiesel are considered as the reference fuels. Three lower alcohols (methanol, ethanol and propanol) and three higher alcohols (butanol, pentanol and octanol) of each 50% by volume were mixed with biodiesel of 50% by volume. Experiments were conducted on a single cylinder compression ignition diesel engine by varying the load conditions at a constant speed. Engine performance and emissions of CO, CO2, NOx and HC were determined. The results are discussed.

Computational investigation of flow parameters and efficiency of single and double inlet cyclone separators

ABSTRACT Cyclone separators are one of the device used in power plant for long time; so many developments have been made in geometry, orientation and entry angle. In the present work an attempt is made with replacement of single inlet with double inlet. Computational analysis is done with Fluent 6.3.26 with Gambit 2.4.6 mesh generation using Cooper meshing facility. Eulerian–Lagrangian approach is adopted in the simulation with air as a working fluid and assumed to have continuous properties (Continuum). The collection efficiency of single and double inlet separator is studied using Lapple model, and it is found that there is an increase of 13.2% in collection efficiency for cyclone separator with double inlet. It is also found that higher inlet velocities are possible with double inlet separator without wall erosion when compared to single inlet separator.