Cymbopogon citrates a Biodegradable waste-derived biodiesel as a potential green fuel: Process Extraction and Utilization in Agricultural Diesel Engine

This study investigates the use of two specific alcohols, octanol and deconal, alongside diesel and biodiesel derived from Cymbopogon citratus. Two ternary blends, labeled as D50-CC30-OCT20 and D50-CC30-DEC20, were formulated and analyzed to assess their engine performance compared to the D50-CC50 blend, pure diesel operation. Results indicate a decrease in peak cylinder pressure with the use of ternary blends. The maximum rate of heat release was observed to be higher in the octanol-containing blend. Furthermore, the deconal blend exhibited a 2.5% improvement in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) compared to octanol yet remained 3.5% lower than traditional diesel operation. Notably, the NOx emissions of the deconal blend were 4% lower compared to octanol. Overall, higher alcohol blends led to reduced smoke emissions compared to binary blends. Octanol, specifically, showed a 15% decrease in smoke opacity. However, the emissions of hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) increased with the use of greater alcohol blends. This research underscores the potential of 1-deconal as a viable fuel option for diesel engines running on biodiesel derived from Cymbopogon citratus oil sourced from biomass.