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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research Special issue

Structure–Property–Performance Characteristics of Chlorella Vulgaris Lipid-Based Bio-Composites Modified with n-Pentanol

  1. Alagala Harikrishna Department of Mechanical Engineering, K.S.R.M. College of Engineering, Research Scholar, JNTUA
  2. B. Chandra Mohana Reddy Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA College of Engineering, Ananthapuramu

Abstract

The depletion of fossil fuel resources and increasingly stringent emission regulations have intensified the need for sustainable alternatives for compression ignition (CI) engines. Biodiesel derived from Chlorella vulgaris microalgae is a renewable, non-edible fuel; however, its higher viscosity and lower volatility can adversely affect engine performance. To address these limitations, higher alcohols such as n-pentanol can be employed as effective modifiers to improve fuel physicochemical properties while maintaining compatibility with existing engines. In this study, diesel–biodiesel–n-pentanol lipid-based bio-composite fuels were experimentally investigated in a single-cylinder direct injection CI engine under varying load conditions. The test fuels included neat diesel (D100), B20, and B20 blended with 5–20% n-pentanol namely B20+75D5P (20% biodiesel, 75% diesel, and 5%n-pentanol), B20+70D10P (20% biodiesel, 70% diesel, and 10%n-pentanol), B20+65D15P (20% biodiesel, 65% diesel, and 15%n-pentanol), and B20+60D20P (20% biodiesel, 60% diesel, and 20% n-pentanol). Brake thermal efficiency increased with engine load for all fuels, with diesel achieving a maximum value of 30.12% at full load. The addition of n-pentanol resulted in slightly lower peak efficiency compared to diesel; however, significant emission improvements were observed. At full load, the B20+70D10P bio-composite reduced carbon monoxide emissions from 0.96% to 0.89% and unburned hydrocarbons from 95 to 75 ppm, while nitrogen oxide emissions remained comparable to diesel and smoke emissions were well controlled. Overall, B20+70D10P exhibited the most balanced structure–property–performance behavior, offering improved emission characteristics with acceptable engine performance.

Keywords

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