Performance, Emission, and Combustion Evaluation of Chlorella Vulgaris Biodiesel-Diesel Blends in a Compression Ignition Engine

Year : 2025 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 05 | Page : 339 354
    By

    Alagala Harikrishna,

  • B. Chandra Mohana Reddy,

1. Research Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India

1. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KSRM College of Engineering, Kadapa, Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India

2. Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA College of Engineering, Ananthapuramu, Constituent College of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

This study examines, without modifying the engine, the performance, emissions, and combustion properties of biodiesel blends made from Chlorella vulgaris microalgae in a four-stroke, single-cylinder, water-cooled CI engine. The blends of biodiesel and diesel, designated B10, B20, B30, and B40, were 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%, respectively. Of these, B20 showed the best efficiency-to-emissions ratio. Although it recorded the lowest brake specific fuel consumption of 0.232 kg/kWh, indicating superior fuel utilisation, its brake thermal efficiency of 27.89% was marginally lower than diesel’s 30.12%. According to combustion analysis, B20 demonstrated efficient combustion with a maximum heat release rate of 49 J/°CA and a peak cylinder pressure of 66 bar. Its 13.9°CA ignition delay was almost identical to that of diesel (13.8°CA). In terms of emissions, B20 kept NOₓ levels (853 ppm) near diesel levels while drastically lowering carbon monoxide (0.99%) and unburned hydrocarbons (96 ppm). Because biodiesel is oxygen-rich, the filter smoke number (FSN = 6) also showed decreased smoke opacity. All things considered, B20 proved to be the best blend, providing stable combustion, high thermal efficiency, and lower emissions, making it a practical and environmentally responsible substitute for traditional diesel.

Keywords: Diesel, biodiesel, engine performance, combustion, transesterification.

[This article belongs to Journal of Polymer and Composites ]

How to cite this article:
Alagala Harikrishna, B. Chandra Mohana Reddy. Performance, Emission, and Combustion Evaluation of Chlorella Vulgaris Biodiesel-Diesel Blends in a Compression Ignition Engine. Journal of Polymer and Composites. 2025; 13(05):339-354.
How to cite this URL:
Alagala Harikrishna, B. Chandra Mohana Reddy. Performance, Emission, and Combustion Evaluation of Chlorella Vulgaris Biodiesel-Diesel Blends in a Compression Ignition Engine. Journal of Polymer and Composites. 2025; 13(05):339-354. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2025/view=227099


Browse Figures

References

  1. H. Al-lwayzy and T. Yusaf, “Diesel engine performance and exhaust gas emissions using microalgae Chlorella protothecoides biodiesel,” Renewable Energy, vol. 101, pp. 690–701, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.09.035
  2. Mathimani, A. Raja, S. Shanmugam, N. K. Kumar, M. Kumaravel, M. V. Narasimhan, and A. Pugazhendhi, “Assessment of fuel properties, engine performance and emission characteristics of outdoor grown marine Chlorella BDUG 91771 biodiesel,” Renewable Energy, vol. 105, pp. 637–646, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.12.090
  3. Elkelawy, H. A.-E. Bastawissi, E. A. E. El Shenawy, “Study of performance, combustion, and emissions parameters of DI-diesel engine fueled with algae biodiesel/diesel/n-pentane blends,” Energy Conversion and Management X, vol. 10, p. 100058, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2020.100058
  4. Rajak, P. Nashine, and T. N. Verma, “Assessment of diesel engine performance using spirulina microalgae biodiesel,” Energy, vol. 166, pp. 1025–1036, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.10.098
  5. Bengi Gozmen Sanli , Mustafa Özcanli , Hasan Serin “Assessment of thermodynamic performance of an IC engine using microalgae biodiesel at various ambient temperatures,” Fuel, vol. 277, p. 118108, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.118108
  6. Harikrishna and B. C. Mohan Reddy, “Effect of diesel-B20-pentanol and diesel-B20- butanol blends on diesel engine performance, emission, and combustion characteristics,” Journal of Mechanics, vol. 40, pp. 586–603, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1093/jom/ufad038
  7. Raja, M. Sunil kumar, S. Natarajan, D. Eshwar, M.S. Alphin “Energy and exergy analysis and multi-objective optimization of a biodiesel fuelled direct ignition engine,” Results in Chemistry, vol. 4, p. 100284, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2022.100284
  8. Mysoon M. Al-Ansari, Latifah Al-Humaid, Nora Dahmash Al Majdoleen Aldawsari, “Assessing the benefits of Chlorella vulgaris microalgal biodiesel for internal combustion engines: Energy and exergy analyses,” Fuel, vol. 345, p. 128055, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128055
  9. Gongping Mao,  Kaikai Shi,Jiehui Li, Ping Wang “Biodiesel Fuel from Chlorella vulgaris and Effects of Its Low-Level Blends on the Performance, Emissions, and Combustion Characteristics of a Nonroad Diesel Engine,” Journal of Energy Engineering (ASCE), vol. 145, no. 3, p. 04019006, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EY.1943-7897.0000668
  10. Patryk Ratomski ,Małgorzata ,Adam Koniuszy, “Indicators of Engine Performance Powered by a Biofuel Blend Produced from Microalgal Biomass: A Step towards the Decarbonization of Transport,” Energies, vol. 16, no. 14, p. 5376, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145376
  11. Tahereh Nematian, Zeinab Salehi ,Alireza Shakeri, “Conversion of bio-oil extracted from Chlorella vulgaris to biodiesel via modified superparamagnetic nano-biocatalyst,” Renewable Energy, vol. 146, pp. 1796-1804, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.08.048
  12. Praveen,V. Lakshmi narayana K. Ramanaiah, “Influence of nanoadditive Chlorella vulgaris microalgae biodiesel blends on the performance and emission characteristics of a DI diesel engine,” International Journal of Ambient Energy, vol. 41, no. 12, pp. 141 1423, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/01430750.2020.1725120
  13. Hariprakash Subburayalu Ramesh, Prakash Thiyagarajan “Fuel characterization studies on Chlorella vulgaris methyl ester algae-,a third-generation biofuel” International Journal of Ambient Energy, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 1243-1254 , 2023. https://doi.org/10.1080/01430750.2023.2171484
  14. Jayakumar Thangamani,Rahamathullah Ismailgani,and Kumaravadivel Arunagirinathan, “Toward sustainable transportation: Experimental insights into Chlorella vulgaris algae biodiesel with titanium oxide nano-enhancements,” Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering, vol. 239, no. 4, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1177/09544089241277707
  15. Chandrabhushan Tiwari, Tikendra Nath Verma, Gaurav Dwivedi “Energy-Exergy Analysis of Diesel Engine Fueled with Microalgae Biodiesel-Diesel Blend,” Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 3, p. 1857, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031857
  16. Mohankumar Subramaniam , JenorisMuthiya Solomon ,V. Nadanakumar,Shridhar Anai muthu, Ravishankar Sathyamurthy , “Experimental investigation on performance, combustion and emission characteristics of DI diesel engine using algae as a biodiesel,” Energy Reports, vol. 6, pp. 1382–1392, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2020.05.022
  17. Harish Venu, V. Dhana Raju,  Lingesan Subramani, Prabhu Appavu “Experimental assessment on the regulated and unregulated emissions of DI diesel engine fuelled with Chlorella emersonii methyl ester (CEME),” Renewable Energy, vol. 151, pp. 88–102, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.11.010
  18. Bhojraj N. Kale, S. D. Patle, S. R. Kalambe,“Impact of algal biodiesel and its diesel blends on performance and emission characteristics of compression ignition engine,” Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, vol. 14, art. no. 013101, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0067829
  19. Zibarev, A. Toumi, N. Politaeva, and I. Iljin, “Nutrients recovery from dairy wastewater by Chlorella vulgaris and comparison of the lipid’s composition with various Chlorella strains for biodiesel production,” PLOS ONE, vol. 19, e0297464, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297464
  20. Saber, H. R. Galal, M. Abo-Eldahab, and E. Alwaleed, “Enhancing the biodiesel production in the green alga Chlorella vulgaris by heavy metal stress and prediction of fuel properties from fatty acid profiles,” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, vol. 31, no. 24, pp. 35952–35968, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-33538-w
Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Issue 05
Received 05/08/2025
Accepted 25/08/2025
Published 05/09/2025
Publication Time 31 Days
200

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics