Thermochemical Conversion Approach for Sustainable Bioenergy Production from Senna auriculata Biomass Source

The current work focuses on the usage of a sustainable fuel derived from Senna auriculata seed through pyrolysis for IC engine applications. Batch-type reactor was employed to produce the bio-oil through pyrolysis, and it was found that the optimum temperature of 550 °C is suitable for a maximum yield of 46%. Physical characterization of the produced SA oil is examined as per ASTM standards, and chemical characterization is studied using FTIR, ¹HNMR, and GC–MS analysis to study and compare with conventional diesel. The performance of the engine, along with combustion and emission analysis, was carried out with blends of SA and diesel. The results investigated were compared with those of conventional diesel. The efficiency for the SA10 blend was estimated to be 34.5%, which is 1.27% higher than regular diesel fuel under full-load conditions. Emission analysis portrayed the CO and UHC emissions as low, whereas the increase in NO_X emissions was due to the high temperature inside the cylinder and the presence of oxygen. The SA10 blends exhibited comparable performance and emission results with commercial diesel fuel under normal working conditions. This research provides an integrated approach to selecting the precise biomass and establishing sustainable bioenergy recovery as the future energy resolution.