International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE) ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-9 Issue-1, November 2019 1710 Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering & Sciences Publication Retrieval Number: A5176119119/2019©BEIESP DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.A5176.119119 Performance and Emission Characteristics of Chlorella Algae Methyl Ester Fuelled Diesel Engine with Varying Injection Pressure Sanjay Singh, M Prabhahar, R Venkatesh, Abstract — In the present scenario when the world is facing severe problem related to continuous decrease in the level of fossil fuels and increasing level of green house gases due to their uses in industries and automobiles, there is a high demand from all technologists and environmentalists to find and develop some alternative fuel especially manufactured from biomass like chlorella algae due to its presence in abundance. The mentioned algae is readily available and is being used as a dietary source in many countries especially in Japan due to its rich protein lipids and starch content and highly suitable for extraction of oil that can be used as an alternative to the existing fossil fuel diesel. The blend of B20 chlorella algae methyl ester or biodiesel is tested for its suitability with respect to its combustion performance and emissions characteristics in a variable compression ratio engine at 180 bar, 200 bar and 220 bar injection pressures. The performance data obtained are compared and analyzed for optimum performance with reference to mechanical, combustion properties and emissions of exhaust gases and a comparison is made with the properties obtained for pure diesel in similar conditions. Key words — Chlorella, Biodiesel, Brake Power, Emissions, Fuel, Green House Gas, Injection Pressure, Mechanical Efficiency, Methyl Ester, Microalgae etc. I. INTRODUCTION The Scientific communities in the world along with automobile engineers are struggling hard to develop alternative fuels especially manufactured from biomass and can lower the level of air pollution with less emission in comparison to fossil fuels like diesel and petrol [2][3][5][7][8][9]. Increasing level of pollution has become a major concern for all due to continuous increase in earth’s temperature leading to global warming and further melting of glaciers and increase in water level of sea and ocean. The green house gas Carbon dioxide which is mostly emitted from automobiles and industries and its increasing concentration has made technologists to search for some alternative fuel, incorporate modification and design new engines with lower levels of emissions and are suitable for running the engine with several types of biodiesels [1][4][6][10][11][14]. A chlorella microalga is one of the biomass available in abundance and the oil extracted from it have some matching properties with fossil fuel diesel. The methyl ester or oil extracted from microalgae and blend B20 (20% algae oil and 80% diesel) is tested for its performance and compared with the properties of fossil fuel diesel to ascertain its usability as an alternative fuel [18][19][20][22][23]. The methyl ester extracted from the microalgae can be used in an engine by using additives for modification of desirable properties making it suitable for further use and produce similar power requirements by an engine as is produced by using pure diesel which is a fossil fuel. The bio diesel is tested for its suitability as an alternate fuel at different injection pressures (180, 200 and 220 bars) and characteristics related to combustion performance and emissions are obtained for comparison and further analysis [12][13][15][16][17][21][24]. II. ABOUT CHLORELLA MICROALGAE Germany, Taiwan and Japan are the countries in which Chlorella microalgae can be found in abundance. Being a great source of biomass and rich in lipids, starch and proteins content and if grown in favorable conditions with different techniques, its lipids and protein content can be increased to considerably high level. Harvesting of this biomass is done by centrifugation process. The biomass obtained from these microalgae is a good source of bio energy due to its high productivity and less competitive with the food production in comparison to other sources of biodiesels. Starch present in the microalgae is a good source of bio ethanol and the lipids present is a good source of biodiesel. Its less use in food products is due to its dark color and pungent smell like fish. III. PROPERTIES OF CHLORELLA MICROALGAE OIL The chemical properties of biodiesel as shown in figure are tested under standard laboratory conditions. The properties tested in lab are given in table 1. Figure 1 – Biodiesel produced from Chlorella microalgae is tested for properties.