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In the present study, a 17 kW, stationary, direct- injection diesel engine has been converted to operate it as a gas engine using producer-gas and compressed natural gas (CNG) as the fuels on two different operational modes called SIPGE (Spark Ignition Producer Gas Engine) and DCNGE (Dedicated Compressed Natural Gas Engine). The engine before conversion, was run on two other modes of operation, namely, diesel mode using only diesel and producer-gas-diesel-dual-fuel mode with diesel used for pilot ignition. The base data generated on diesel mode was used for performance comparison under other modes to ascertain the fuel flexibility. A technology development and optimisation followed by performance confirmation are the three features of this study. The exercise of conversion to SIPGE is a success since comparable power and efficiency could be developed. DCNGE operation also yielded comparable power with higher efficiency, which establishes the fuel flexibility of the converted machine.

Suitability of the compression ignition engine for biodiesel fuel based operation has been discussed in several studies. However, studies focusing on the physical characterization of exhaust particulates from engine operating with bio-diesel blends are limited. This study characterizes the particulate emissions in terms of particle size distribution from a compression ignition engine operating on diesel and bio-diesel of two different origins namely Jatropha and Karanja in the form of 20% blends, as a function of loading. A ten-stage inertial impactor (MOUDI) was used to obtain particle size distributions. It was observed that particle mass concentrations of sub-micron particles are higher for higher loading conditions. Further, test results indicated that contribution of PM2.5 particles to the exhaust to the total particulate mass varied from 75% to 95% for the load conditions used in the study.