A Computational Study on the Performance and Emission Characteristics of Soy Biodiesel Fuel in Marine Diesel Engines

Biodiesel is a promising alternative to conventional diesel fuel due to its renewable and environmentally friendly nature. However, the use of biodiesel in engines can lead to decreased performance and increased emissions. This study aims to investigate the effect of soybean methyl ester (SME) biodiesel fuel on the performance and emissions of a marine diesel engine compared to diesel no. 2 fuel. The experiment was conducted using a computational software, Diesel RK, with a Cummins NT-855 M engine as the engine parameter. Biodiesel blends with varying percentages of SME (5, 20, 40, and 100%) were tested along with diesel no. 2 fuel. The engine parameters tested were brake torque, specific fuel consumption, and brake thermal efficiency, while the emission parameters were the fraction of wet NOx and specific particulate matter. The results showed that the brake torque produced by biodiesel blends was lower by 1.48–26.9% compared to diesel no. 2 fuel. Moreover, specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency for biodiesel blends were higher by 4.36% to 59% and 11.32% to 53.79%, respectively, compared to diesel no. 2 fuel. Additionally, the emission of NOx and particulate matter from biodiesel was higher by 8.06% and 81.37%, respectively, compared to diesel no. 2 fuel. Overall, the study provides insight into the effects of SME biodiesel blends on marine diesel engine performance and emissions, which can help in the development of more efficient and sustainable fuel options for the marine industry.