Performance and Emission Characteristics of a CI Engine Fueled with Esterified Cottonseed Oil

Vegetable oils can fuel diesel engines, but their high viscosity, low volatility and poor cold flow properties have led to the investigation of various derivatives. Among the different possible sources, bio-diesel fuels derived from triglycerides present a promising alternative to substitute diesel fuels. Fatty acid methyl and ethyl esters, known as biodiesel, derived from triglycerides by transesterification with methanol or ethanol have received the most attention. The main advantages of using biodiesel are its renewability, its biodegradability and it does not contribute to a rise in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and consequently to the greenhouse effect.

This study investigates the use of raw cottonseed oil and its ethyl esters as fuel for a CI engine. Cottonseed oil is not ideally suited as an engine fuel as such because of its high viscosity and low volatility. A process of transesterification has to be done to improve the properties of cottonseed oil to make it comparable with diesel. Properties of the ethyl ester of cottonseed oil was evaluated and compared with diesel. The esterified fuel was used to evaluate the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a single cylinder, direct injection diesel engine. The data thus generated were compared with the data obtained using diesel and raw cottonseed oil. The engine exhibited a very good performance with out any problems of combustion. It is suggested that, the ethyl ester of CSO can be used as an alternate fuel for diesel engines.