Combustion and emission characteristics of variable compression ignition engine fueled with Jatropha curcas ethyl ester blends at different compression ratio

Engine performance and emission characteristics of unmodified biodiesel fueled diesel engines are highly influenced by their ignition and combustion behavior. In this study, emission and combustion characteristics were studied when the engine operated using the different blends (B10, B20, B30, and B40) and normal diesel fuel (B0) as well as when varying the compression ratio from 16.5 : 1 to 17.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1. The change of compression ratio from 16.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1 resulted in 27.1%, 27.29%, 26.38%, 28.48%, and 34.68% increase in cylinder pressure for the blends B0, B10, B20, B30, and B40, respectively, at 75% of rated load conditions. Higher peak heat release rate increased by 23.19%, 14.03%, 26.32%, 21.87%, and 25.53% for the blends B0, B10, B20, B30, and B40, respectively, at 75% of rated load conditions, when compression ratio was increased from16.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1. The delay period decreased by 21.26%, CO emission reduced by 14.28%, and NO emission increased by 22.84% for B40 blends at 75% of rated load conditions, when compression ratio was increased from 16.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1. It is concluded that Jatropha oil ester can be used as fuel in diesel engine by blending it with diesel fuel

Prostate cancer: emerging pharmacotherapeutic modalities

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the world due to factors like old age, family history, ethnicity, diet and some elements exposure, with lot of controversies regarding prevention of prostate cancer. Though the exact pathogenesis is not clear, epidemiological evidence supports a relationship between prostate cancer and hormone levels. In this review article we are focusing on the advances in different pharmacotherapeutic modalities i.e. Chemoprevention, Prostate-Specific Antigen, Hormone Therapy, Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, SERM, Vaccines, Cryotherapy, Watchful Waiting, Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation Therapy etc. and new possibilities with strategies to provide maximal benefits while effectively balancing risks for the prostate cancer treatment

Performance characteristics of Jatropha ethyl ester as diesel engine fuel at different compression ratios

The results of the performance and emission of a variable compression ratio ignition engine (vertical single cylinder) by using Jatropha ethyl ester blends with diesel fuel at two levels of compression ratio (16.5:1 and 18.5:1) have been presented in this paper.  The fuel samples were prepared by blending Jatropha ethyl ester with diesel in the composition of 0:100, 10:90, 20:80, 30:70 and 40:60 (%).  Results indicated that Brake thermal efficiency for all biodiesel blends was more as compared to diesel.  Brake thermal efficiency increased with the increase in load and also increased with the increase in compression ratio.  Brake specific fuel consumption in case of blends was more as compared to diesel.  Brake specific fuel consumption decreased with the increase in load as well as with the increase in compression ratio. Exhaust gas temperature increased with the increase in load and also increased with the increase in compression ratio for all fuel blends.   Keywords: Jatropha ethyl ester, diesel engine, compression ratio, brake thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumptio

Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Variable Compression Ignition Engine Fueled with Jatropha curcas Ethyl Ester Blends at Different Compression Ratio

Engine performance and emission characteristics of unmodified biodiesel fueled diesel engines are highly influenced by their ignition and combustion behavior. In this study, emission and combustion characteristics were studied when the engine operated using the different blends (B10, B20, B30, and B40) and normal diesel fuel (B0) as well as when varying the compression ratio from 16.5 : 1 to 17.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1. The change of compression ratio from 16.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1 resulted in 27.1%, 27.29%, 26.38%, 28.48%, and 34.68% increase in cylinder pressure for the blends B0, B10, B20, B30, and B40, respectively, at 75% of rated load conditions. Higher peak heat release rate increased by 23.19%, 14.03%, 26.32%, 21.87%, and 25.53% for the blends B0, B10, B20, B30, and B40, respectively, at 75% of rated load conditions, when compression ratio was increased from16.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1. The delay period decreased by 21.26%, CO emission reduced by 14.28%, and NOx emission increased by 22.84% for B40 blends at 75% of rated load conditions, when compression ratio was increased from 16.5 : 1 to 18.5 : 1. It is concluded that Jatropha oil ester can be used as fuel in diesel engine by blending it with diesel fuel

Nozzle Spacing on Sprayer Boom

Agricultural sprayers are frequently used to spray pesticides on standing crops to avoid pest attack. Nozzles are placed on sprayer boom in such a way that the chemical is spread evenly over the plant canopy. The spacing between the nozzles on the boom of commonly used sprayers is quite speculative and not based on the type of nozzle, the discharge from the nozzle, operating pressure, height of the boom, etc. A computer program was developed to select appropriate spacing between the nozzles based on operating pressure, height, spray pattern, etc. The best-suited nozzle spacing was calculated on the basis of overlap of the spread patterns., Coefficient of Variation was calculated for the different levels of overlap of the spread patterns. Spacing for which the Coefficient of Variation was minimum was taken as the best suitable spacing for nozzles on the sprayer boom. The program was validated by using operational parameters of a Triple Action Nozzle with a hollow cone spread pattern. The nozzle was operated at working pressure of 4.0 kglcm2, at a height of 40 cm moving at the forward speed of2.5 km/h. The best spacing was found to be around 57 cm. The program was also used to find out the number of nozzles required for a given boom length and the total volume of chemical sprayed per hectare

Studies on Selected Mechanized Solutions for Efficient Incorporation of Green Manure Crop

A comparative study on incorporation of green manure crop (Sesbania aculeata) with a newly developed tractor operated biomass incorporator (BI) was conducted in contrast to prevailing technologies. Average depth of soil cut with BI (174.7 mm) was significantly higher than rotavator (71.3 mm), disc harrow (114 mm) and disc harrow plus cultivator (121 mm) at crop growth stage I (36 DAS) and stage II (50 DAS). Size of cut with BI (202 mm and 326.5 mm) was significantly lower than disc harrow, disc harrow pluscultivator and mould board plough at crop growth stage I and II. Field capacity of BI and conventional mould board plough was significantly lower than rotavator and disc harrow because of smaller width of coverage of two-bottom implements. Fuel consumption was significantly higher for rotavator at both stages of crop growth. Pulverization index was lowest with rotavator (6.70 mm and 6.98 mm), followed by BI, disc harrow plus cultivator, disc harrow and mould board plough at both crop stages. Bulk density index was significantly high for BI, followed by rotavator, mould board plough, disc harrow plus cultivator and disc harrow at both crop stages. Mixing index with BI (97.1 %) was significantly higher than all other implements. Biomass incorporator resulted in analogous mixing index at both crop stages. For all other implements, decrease in mixing index was recorded

Refinement of Wheat Straw Harvester for Paddy Straw Harvesting and Bruising

Refinement of a wheat straw harvester was done for chopping of paddy straw. Blower of the wheat straw harvester was replaced by two bruising cylinders and a concave. Pointed knife guards of the cutter bar were replaced with V-shaped serrated blades fixed below the cutting blades. The machine was operated in paddy fields having straw load 6.25 t.ha-1 and 8.58 t.ha-1 at forward speed of 0.55, 0.70, and 0.97 m.s-1. Straw bruising cylinder speeds of 640, 725, and 810 rpm were used. The percentage of chopped straw of size up to 125 mm, weighted mean size of chopped straw, mulch thickness, and coefficient of variation of uniformity of straw spread were in the range of 71.28-86.41%, 57.6-81.2 mm, 53.9-60.0 mm, and 20.54-22.17%, respectively, under all treatment combinations. The fuel consumption and field capacity of the machine were in the range of 8.88-12.08 l.ha-1 and 0.27-0.55 ha.h-1, respectively

Unapređenje žitnih vršalica u cilju poboljšanja kvaliteta slame

Straw combine is very popular machine in Punjab for the retrieval of wheat straw. It was observed that quality of wheat straw obtained from straw combine is inferior due to more dirt content as compare to harambha thresher. Therefore, the straw combine was developed with straw bruising and sieving system for the removal of dirt. Dirt was quantified by total ash content and acid insoluble ash. Field evaluation of the modified straw combine and laboratory analysis of collected sieved straw sample was carried out. Two level of concave bar spacing (10 and 14 mm), three feed rates (14, 16.5 and 19 q•h-1) and three cylinder speeds (28.45, 32.25 and 36.04 m•s-1) were selected as operational parameter. It was observed that mechanical sieving of straw was well enough for the separation of dirt. Percent reduction of total ash content and acid insoluble ash due to sieving increases with decrease in feed rate and increase in concave bar spacing. Average straw length and split straw percentage was found to well within acceptable level at 14 mm concave bar spacing. Net specific fuel consumption was found to be decreases with increase in feed rate and concave bar spacing and increases with increase in cylinder speed.Žitne vršalice su veoma popularne u Punjab oblasti u Indiji. Primećeno je da je kvalitet slame nakon ubiranja klasičnim žitnim kombajnom, lošiji zbog većeg prisutva nečistoća, u poređenju sa žitnom vršalicom. Iz tog razloga se radilo na konstrukciji kombajna za slamu koji je opremljen uređajem sa čišćenje i prosejavanja slame. Prilikom ispitivanja kvaliteta rada, količina nečistoće odstranjena iz slame, je određena preko količine pepela nakon sagorevanja i sadržaja, u kiselini, nerastvorenog pepela. Poljsko ispitivanje je takođe sprovedeno a uzorci slame su doneti na labaratrijsko ispitivanje. Dva nivoa rastojanja rešetke (10 i 14 mm), tri protoka (14, 16.5 i 19 q•h-1) i tri brzine bubnja (28.45, 32.25 i36.04 m•s-1) su uzeti kao parametri rada. Uočeno je da je mehanički sistem prosejavanja slame zadovoljavajući u slučaju otklanjanja nečistoća. Procenat smanjenja ukupne količine pepela i količine pepela nerastvorenog u kiselini, se povećava sa smanjenjem protoka i sa smanjenjem rastojanja između rešetki sita. Prosečna dužina slame i udeo polomljene slame su bili u prihvaltjivim granicama kod minimalnog rastojanja između rešetki sita od 14 mm. Ukupna specifična potrošnja goriva se smanjivala sa povećanjem protoka mase i rastojanja između rešetki, dok se, sa povećanjem brzine obrtanja bubnja, povećavala

Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science

Not AvailableSoil organic carbon (SOC) is a key component for sustaining crop pro- duction. A field experiment was conducted during 20042018 to assess the changes in soil carbon fractions under different fertilization practices in grass-legumes mixture. The result indicates that application of farm- yard manure (FYM) at 80 Mg ha1 has increased SOC concentration leading to carbon sequestration rate of 4.2 Mg ha1 year1. Further, it has increased the proportion of labile carbon in the total SOC and have accumulated 126, 60, 83 and 95% higher very labile, labile, less labile and non-labile C stock than that of control plot, respectively, in top 30 cm soil layer. Inorganic fertilization and FYM 20 Mg ha1 influenced SOC con- centration, SOC stock and C sequestration rate similarly. The highest carbon management index (264) was found in the treatment receiving FYM 80 Mg ha1 and it was positively correlated with SOC (r = 0.84 * * ). The sensitivity index of the SOC varied from 26 to 152% and the differences were greatest in FYM treatments. The result indicates that grass-legumes mixture build-up the SOC in long term and the addition of FYM further increases it

Performance Assessment of Tractor-operated Bund Former for Mulched Field

Managing paddy field loaded with straw before wheat sowing in paddy-wheat crop production system is cumbersome due to various operations involved in the process. Bund forming for irrigation remains difficult among these operations due to mulched conditions. Simultaneous removal of straw (up to 1.25 m width), soil pulverization, and trapezoidal-shaped soil bund forming in one pass is required. Field evaluation of a tractor-operated bund former for mulched fields was conducted to observe the effects of rotor speed ratios (3:1, 4:1, 5:1), opening width of bund forming plates (270, 340, 410 mm), and straw loads (4.0-4.5, 6.0-6.5 t.ha-1) on the pulverization index (mm), height of bund (mm), width of bund (mm), fuel consumption (l.h-1) and field capacity (ha.h-1) of the machine. The effects of rotor speed ratio, opening width of bund forming plates, and straw load were significant (p<0.05) on pulverization index, bund height, bund width, and fuel consumption. Best performances were obtained at rotor speed ratio of 4:1 and bund forming plates opening width of 340 mm under both straw loads. This combination gave the optimum height of bund (277.6 mm), bund width (720 mm), pulverization index (12.76 mm), and fuel consumption (7.05 l.h-1) under both straw loads. The effective field capacity of the tractor-operated bund former was 1.17 ha.h-1 at forward travel speed of 1.5 km.h-1. The operational cost of the bund former was 792.36 ₹.ha-1