Fueling India's Future: Vegetable Oils and Advanced Engine Technologies

Abstract

India's energy security is threatened by the rapid depletion of conventional energy sources and increasing demand. The substantial expenditure on importing petroleum-based fuels not only strains the economy but also exposes it to global oil price volatility. Leveraging India's agricultural strengths, vegetable oils derived from oil seeds offer a promising alternative. However, these oils require modification to suit compression ignition (CI) engines through methods like blending, thermal cracking, or transesterification.
Despite these efforts, vegetable oil fuels often perform poorly in conventional diesel engines, causing issues like gum formation, filter clogging, and higher emissions. These problems stem from the oils' inherent properties, such as high viscosity and lower volatility. A potential solution lies in utilizing vegetable oils in low heat rejection (LHR) engines, designed to operate at higher temperatures, reducing ignition delay and improving combustion.
By incorporating ceramic-insulated components like thermal barrier coatings, LHR engines can enhance thermal efficiency, reduce energy losses, and eliminate complex cooling systems. This technology can significantly improve engine performance with vegetable oil fuels. By adopting LHR technology, India can reduce its dependence on imported fuels, promote sustainable energy solutions, and contribute to a cleaner environment.