Experimental Analysis and Parametric Optimization of Linseed Oil Methyl Ester Blend-Fueled Variable Compression Ratio Diesel Engine

This paper analyses the VCR (variable compression ratio) engine's performance, combustion, and emission output responses. The experimental results were modelled using the Grey Taguchi method (GTM) for input parameters of compression ratio, load, and fuel blends. The objective is to find the optimal combination of input parameters in the minimum number of experiments for minimum emission, better performance, and combustion parameters. The Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array with GTM is used to get the optimum combination of input parameters. The Taguchi was used to analyze the S/N ratio of experimental data and the gray-based method for optimization of multi-objective to single-objective optimization by assigning the suitable weighting factor to each response. The S/N ratio analysis of grey relational grade (GRG) shows the fuel B10, CR 16, and load at 100% of the optimal input factor level. This optimal level is further confirmed by the TOPSIS method. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) for input to GRG shows the highest influencing factor is the load with a 52.82% contribution, followed by CR at 28.38%, and fuel at 10.52%. The confirmatory results show an improvement of 56.1%. The novelty of this experimentation was to study feasibility of existing engine for alternative fuel with slight modification. At above optimal conditions, this biodiesel can be used efficiently in an unmodified compression ignition engine.