Quantification and qualification of exhaust gases in agricultural diesel engine operating with biodiesel mixtures

ABSTRACT Diesel cycle engines are widely used in agricultural machinery. Biodiesel offers the possibility of partial or total replacement of mineral diesel, thus reducing the dependence of agriculture on this non-renewable resource and decreasing pollutant emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the emissions of CO, NOx, SO2, CO2, and O2 from various biodiesel mixtures (B0 = 0%, B7 = 7%, B10 = 10%, B20 = 20%, B30 = 30% and B100 = 100%) in a single-cylinder tractor engine at 1000, 1600 and 2400 rpm. The exhaust gases were identified using a gas probe meter. Fuels with a higher percentage of biodiesel have the lowest SO2 emissions, with the B30 mixture releasing 65.78, 52.47 and 32.25 parts per million at 1000, 1600 and 2000 rpm, respectively. Nitrous oxides and carbon dioxide emissions decreases with higher engine rotation speed. Higher percentages of biodiesel result in less polluting fuels.