Analysis of engine performance using palm oil methyl ester

Abstract

The project aims to investigate and simulate the palm oil methyl ester flow through the fuel injection system and the viscosity effect on the engine. The nozzle designs were simulated in 2-D and 3-D using FLUENT and the engine performance analyzed using Matlab. The validity of the simulation cannot be tested due to the lack of experimental facilities. The simulated results show that the best design for a nozzle is by using smaller holes size or nozzle with large L/D ratio where turbulent flow are well developed inside the nozzle. The best engine performance for palm oil methyl ester operates at the engine speed of 2000 rpm to 2500 rpm. The overall analysis has shown that palm oil methyl ester has potential as an alternative fuel in conventional combustion engine.