Implication of SiO2 nanoparticles with novel water hyacinth biodiesel-diesel blends to improve the performance and emission parameters of a diesel engine

The current research explores experimentally the crude oil production from water hyacinth weed (potential renewable bio-mass), its biodiesel preparation and implication of SiO2 nanoparticles (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 75 ppm, 100 ppm) with biodiesel (fixed 20%) and diesel (fixed 80%) blends on the performance and emission parameters of a 4-S single cylinder diesel engine. Crude water hyacinth oil is produced through the chemical Soxhlet extraction technique, and its biodiesel is prepared by transesterification. Metal oxide oxygenated SiO2 nanoparticles are dispersed through ultrasonication in water hyacinth bio-diesel blends to improve their combustion quality and make them more efficient. Prepared fuel blends’ properties are exam-ined as per the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials. The experiment reveals that crude water hyacinth oil has 85.6% biodiesel yield. Dispersion of SiO2 nanoparticles in WHB20 fuel decreases the brake specific fuel consumption by 12.61% and improves the brake thermal efficiency by 12.55% at a maximum load. HC and CO emissions are found to be decreased by 25.85% and 22.64%, respectively, whereas NOx and CO2 emissions are found to be increased by 45.85% and 10.87%, respectively, for WHB20SiO2100ppm compared to fossil diesel at a maximum load. Overall, research concludes that WHB20SiO2100ppm fuel is the best performer and suitable alternative for diesels without change in engine design.