Performance Test of a Diesel Engine with Biodiesel from Kemiri Sunan (Rutealis sperma.)

With decreasing fossil oil reserve, alternative plant-based fuel become more important. One of the source of such fuel is kemiri sunan (rutealis trisperma). Kemiri sunan has an advantage that it is not competing for food use. Biodiesel from kemiri sunan needs to be tested on diesel engine. The objective of this research was to test the performance of a diesel engine with a mixture of biodiesel from kemiri sunan and fossil-based diesel fuel. This study was conducted in an experimental-decriptive manner by using several level of mixture of biodiesel from 0% (B-0) to 70% (B-70) using dynamometer. Measured parameter were torsion, power, fuel consumption, thermal efficiency and flue gas emission. Experimental results showed that biodiesel from Kemiri sunan can be used in unmodified, conventional diesel engine with maximum content of 20% (B20).