Authors: Mr. S. Santhosh Kumar, Dr.Anix joel singh
Abstract: The increasing demand for sustainable energy resources, along with growing environmental concerns related to fossil fuel consumption, has accelerated research into alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. This study focuses on the experimental investigation and performance analysis of an internal combustion engine operated with alternative fuel as a potential replacement for conventional diesel fuel. The experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the effects of alternative fuel usage on engine performance and exhaust emission characteristics under different operating conditions. The performance evaluation was carried out based on key parameters, including brake power, torque, brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC). In addition, the emission characteristics were analyzed by measuring exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and smoke opacity. The results demonstrated that alternative fuel operation produced comparable engine performance with conventional diesel fuel. Variations in brake power, torque, thermal efficiency, and fuel consumption were observed due to differences in fuel properties, combustion behavior, and energy content. The alternative fuel showed a slight increase in fuel consumption due to its lower calorific value; however, it provided improved emission characteristics by reducing CO, HC, and smoke opacity emissions. A minor change in NOx emissions was observed, which was mainly associated with variations in combustion temperature and oxygen availability during the combustion process. Overall, the experimental findings indicate that alternative fuels can be effectively utilized in internal combustion engines while maintaining satisfactory performance and reducing harmful exhaust emissions. The study highlights the potential of alternative fuels as sustainable energy solutions for cleaner and more efficient engine operation.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21468929
