Performance Testing of Diesel Engine using Honge Oil (Pinnata Pongama) an Alternate Fuel for Diesel

The present investigation aims at replacing the conventional fuel, i.e. petroleum derived diesel fuel by honge fuel which is a bio-derived diesel substitute or bio-diesel. Performance tests conducted on modified Kirloskar engine indicate that the honge fuel can be conveniently used as a substitute for diesel fuel, however, because the calorific value of honge fuel is lower than that of diesel fuel, the output of the engine and thus the efficiency of the engine were found to be slightly lower than when the same engine was tested with diesel fuel. Engine tested at different loads and speeds indicate no fuel injector blocking effect and carbon deposition was found to be less than with diesel fuel. Exhaust gas analysis showed that emission of SO₂, CO etc. were lower when running with honge fuel when compared to running with diesel fuel. Hence, from the environmental point of view, honge fuel is found to be eco-friendly. Therefore, replacing diesel fuel by honge fuel reduces the impending fossil fuel energy crisis.