Experimental investigation and development of correlations for pongamia pinnata biodiesel

Abstract

Most promising alternative source available for fossil diesel in India is the Pongamia pinnata biodiesel (Karanja biodiesel in the Indian context). The characterization of biodiesel plays an important role in engine emission and performance. Due to oxygenation the biodiesel has low higher heating value than fossil diesel hence it is necessary to study the effect of different physio-chemical properties on higher heating value. Experimentations were conducted on 11 samples on the basis of Volume % for Pongamia Pinnata biodiesel and diesel blends in the step of 10 varying from 0% (Fossil diesel) to 100% (Pongamia pinnata biodiesel). A retrospective investigation is conducted for characterization of biodiesels and different physio-chemical properties are correlated as a function of Higher Heating Value (HHV). By the traditional statistical technique of regression analysis the correlations can predict the HHV values with the accuracy of R2=0.9907 and uncertainty of ±6.19%. HHVs obtained by performing experiments and by predicted correlations are compared with the correlations available in open literature. The study reveals that the properties of kinematic viscosity and density have a strong correlation with HHV as compared to cetane number and flash point.