Fueling an D.I. agricultural diesel engine with waste oil biodiesel: Effects over injection, combustion and engine characteristics

The paper presents the results of a research concerning the use of a biodiesel type fuel in D.I. Diesel engine; the fuel injection system and the engine were tested. The results indicated that the injection characteristics are affected when a blend containing 50% methyl ester and 50% petrodiesel is used as fuel (injection duration, pressure wave propagation time, average injection rate, peak injection pressure). As a result, the engine characteristics are also affected, the use of the biodiesel blend leading to lower output power and torque; the lower autoignition delay and pressure wave propagation time led to changes of the cylinder pressure and heat release traces and to lower peak combustion pressures.