Cyclic Variation Analysis of Palm Biodiesel Fuel in Low  Compression Marine Diesel Engine

Che Wan Mohd Noor; Rizalman Mamat; Obed Ali; Gholamhassan Najafi; Wan Nur Diyana  Mansor

Authors

Che Wan Mohd Noor Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Rizalman Mamat Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26600 Pekan, Malaysia
Obed Ali Technical Institute of Haweeja, Northern Technical University, 36001 Kirkuk, Iraq
Gholamhassan Najafi Biosystems Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, 14115-143 Tehran, Iran
Wan Nur Diyana Mansor Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Keywords:

Cyclic variations analysis, palm biodiesel, marine diesel engine, wavelet power spectrum

Abstract

Environmental pollution due to fossil fuel combustion has made biodiesel a viable option. Biodiesel fuel has been widely used in land-based vehicle engines, but it is limited to marine sectors. This study investigated the cyclic variations effect of palm biodiesel to determine combustion stability in low compression marine diesel engine. The time series of peak pressure and indicated mean effective pressure is examined using statistical and continuous wavelet transformation methods. The results show that the cyclic variations on marine engine operated with palm biodiesel are better than diesel, as indicated by lower COVpmax and COVIMEP values, which are below 1.29% and 2.50% respectively. Increase the percentage of palm biodiesel in blends has gradually reduced the COVIMEP and the B30 palm biodiesel blend produces the minimum cyclic variations of IMEP with 1.91%. This finding was agreed with the wavelet spectrum results which revealed that the B30 palm biodiesel blend has the lowest IMEP frequency oscillation. The B30 palm biodiesel blend has produced the most stable combustion among the tested fuels.