Optimisation and effective utilisation of esterified rice bran oil in a turbocharged VCR engine by analysing its operating characteristics.

The increasing population and the vehicle strength are alarming that arises the importance of the issue to deal with alternative fuels in existing diesel engine without modification The biodiesel is derived from vegetable oils to replace the conventional diesel fuel. In this research, we have considered the esterified rice bran oil as biodiesel. Even though it is edible oil, the consumption of rice, particularly in south India, is more when compared with the other parts of the world that enables the preparation of the fuel quickly. The rice bran oil prepared by the trans-esterification method and tested in a VCR engine in blends of 10% and 20% with pure diesel. The engine compression ratios were chosen as 16:1, 17:1 and 18:1. This research includes investigation on performance, combustion and emission by varying the compression ratios for the blends and compared with pure diesel and conducted experiments with a turbocharger, fitted with the engine. The results obtained were presented and analysed to optimise the suitable blend and compression ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]