Effects of No.2 diesel, B-20 soy biofuel blend, and B-100 soy biofuel on performance, efficiency, and emissions in a compression ignition tractor

摘要

Tests were conducted in the fall of 2006 on a John Deere 3203 diesel tractor to determine the differences in specific fuel consumption, power take-off (PTO) torque, PTO power, thermal efficiency, and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions between No. 2 diesel (D2), 20% biodiesel (B20), and 100% biodiesel (B100). Four, 1-hours tests were conducted on each fuel. The results indicated no statistically significant differences (p<.05) between D2 orB20 on any variable of interest. However, B100 resulted in significantly (p<.05) increased specific fuel consumption and thermal efficiency, and decreased PTO torque and PTO power over both D2 and B20. These data suggest that farmers could switch from D2 to B20 without any performance loses, but a switch to B100 would result in the use more fuel, and a loss of power and torque.