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Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel is seems to be a potential alternative fuel for diesel engine applications due to its non-edible form, easily cultivable nature and abundant availability everywhere in the world. Isobutanol is the next generation biofuel which can be used as partial substitute to petroleum diesel or biodiesel due to its better solvency character. In the present study, a comparative assessment on diesel engine characteristics is carried out using isobutanol as an additive with diesel and biodiesel in the form of binary and ternary blends. Five blends are prepared by 20% of isobutanol with diesel and biodiesel as D80IB20 and B80IB20 along with three ternary blends of diesel-biodiesel-isobutanol using 10%, 15% and 20% concentrations of isobutanol. Experimental study in a diesel engine revealed that the brake thermal efficiency is improved by 3.19% for 10% isobutanol addition in diesel-biodiesel blends with significant improvement in brake specific fuel consumption when compared to biodiesel. All binary and ternary blends of isobutanol reduce CO emission by 13–59% than that of diesel fuel with substantial penalty in HC emission. Meanwhile, when compared to biodiesel, the oxides of nitrogen emission is decreased by 8.16% for isobutanol addition with diesel and biodiesel in terms of binary and ternary blends but higher than that of conventional diesel fuel. Furthermore, momentous improvement is observed in heat release rate during isobutanol addition for B80IB20, D70B10IB20, D70B15IB15 and D70B20IB10 fuel blends when compared to pure biodiesel. Finally, it is noted that isobutanol would be a feasible additive for the partial replacement of diesel and biodiesel in the blends for diesel engine applications.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of higher alcohols with Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel on the diesel engine characteristics under various engine loads. Two higher alcohols have been identified for the present investigation namely 1-pentanol and 1-butanol and the six fuel samples have been prepared with Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel at 40%, 50% and 60% concentrations by volume. All the experiments are carried out in a single cylinder, four stroke and constant speed diesel engine and the experimental results are compared with conventional diesel and pure biodiesel fuels. The study revealed that the diesel engine operation with higher alcohol-biodiesel blends has shown lower brake thermal efficiency and higher brake specific fuel consumption. The reduction rate is higher with a higher concentration of alcohol in the fuel blends. On the other hand, the cooling effect of higher alcohol in the blend reduces the NOx emission due to their higher latent heat of vaporization. Moreover, the CO, HC and smoke emissions are decreased for all higher alcohol-biodiesel blends. The combustion characteristics are followed similar pattern for all tested fuels and peak pressure is comparatively lower for higher concentration of alcohol in the fuel blend. Finally, it is revealed that 1-pentanol and 1-butanol can be successfully used as partial substitute to diesel or biodiesel fuel.