Biodiesel Production from Chicken Feather Meal and its Performance Analysis on Diesel Engine

Abstract

Biodiesel has intrinsic lubricating properties due to the presence of long chain fatty acids, which significantly help to reduce engine wear and tear. Poultry waste as an alternative energy source could aid in reducing greenhouse gases. Biodiesel acknowledges environmental issues as it is less toxic than diesel and is biodegradable too. It is much safer to handle due to its high flash point and consequently, air quality improves dramatically. From the energy point of view, as a renewable source of energy, it helps in energy conservation and ensures regular availability for production of fuel. The chicken feather meal with moderate fat content was utilized to produce biodiesel. In this study, blends were prepared with biodiesel and consist of fatty acid alkyl esters and diesel at different concentrations namely: 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. These were analyzed for their engine performance characteristics. The blends from B20 to B80 fuels showed the decreased concentration of CO and NOx emissions at variable load when compared to diesel. The engine performance parameters such as brake power output, brake horse power and specific fuel consumption proved that the biodiesel from chicken feather meal can be used as an alternative fuel.