This study presents effect of injection timing on performance, combustion and emission characteristics of mahua biodiesel (Madhuca indica) and its blends with pure diesel on a 4 stroke tangentially vertical single cylinder (TV 1) direct injection diesel engine. At injection timing of 22° bTDC, blend B25 (25% mahua biodiesel and 75% pure diesel, by vol) gave optimum performance, which is very close to pure diesel. Thus B25 fuel can be effectively used in a diesel engine as an alternative fuel without any modification in the engine.

This study presents performance behaviors of a commercial diesel engine fueled with diesel and Jatropha based biodiesel (B100) at various loads (up to 100%) and compared using standard (conventional) and three new face profile designs (I, II & III) of piston rings. BTE of engine fueled with diesel increases 2-8% with new face profile design (III) of piston rings in comparison to standard (conventional) piston rings. BTE enhances 8-16% when engine is fueled with biodiesel using face profile design (III) on piston rings.

This study presents bioconversion of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to bioethanol using two-sequential steps of acid hydrolysis (10% sulfuric acid) and yeast (Candida intermedia) fermentation. A maximum ethanol yield (coefficient, 0.21 g g-1; productivity, 0.010 g l-1h-1) was comparable to predicted value (0.23 g g-1) obtained by CCD (Central Composite Design). Two colorimetric methods (phloroglucinol and dichromate assays) were used for determination of xylose and ethanol using UV-Vis spectrophotometer.