Experimental Investigation of Performance and Emission Characteristics of Coated Squish Piston in a CI Engine Fueled With Vegetable Oil

515-520In this study, the performance and emission characteristics of the CI engine using coated squish piston fueled with Jatropha oil is investigated experimentally. The obtained results were compared with the conventional piston. The test was conducted in single cylinder naturally aspirated water cooled direct injection diesel engine. The squish head and Partially Stabilized Zirconia coating was provided in the conventional piston bowl which helps in better turbulence, i.e., better mixing of air and fuel mixture resulting in improved combustion with the reduced emissions. Because of improved combustion, the peak cycle temperature in the combustion chamber increases. This increase in peak cycle temperature helps in better atomization and vaporization of the fuel used, i.e., Jatropha biodiesel. The increase in the combustion chamber temperature reduces the viscosity of the Jatropha biodiesel resulting in improved combustion. The performance and emission characteristics were improved much better with the squish piston when compared with the conventional piston. Improved brake thermal efficiency was obtained with the coated squish piston. Emissions like HC, CO and Smoke was considerably reduced with the coated squish piston. But in turn, NOX and CO2 are increased due to the increase in peak cycle temperature inside the combustion chamber

Influence of diethyl ether blend in spark ignition engine performance and emissions operated with gasoline and ethanol

This paper investigates the performance and emission characteristics of single cylinder four stroke petrol engine using unleaded gasoline with combination of ethanol and diethyl ether. Exhaust emissions were analysed for CO, HC, NOx, and CO2 by varying engine torque and engine speed. The result showed that the blend of unleaded gasoline with diethyl ether increases the octane number which in turn increases the power output which leads to increase in the brake thermal efficiency of the engine. The CO, HC, and NOx emissions concentrations in the engine exhaust decreases while the CO2 concentration increases. The use of diethyl ether and ethanol blends as a fuel additive to unleaded gasoline causes an improvement in performance and significant reduction in exhaust emission

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant JN.1 in Tamil Nadu, India - Clinical characteristics and novel mutations

Abstract In December 2023, we observed a notable shift in the COVID-19 landscape, when JN.1 omicron emerged as the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant with a 95% incidence. We characterized the clinical profile, and genetic changes in JN.1, an emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant of interest. Whole genome sequencing was performed on SARS-CoV-2 positive clinical specimens, followed by sequence analysis. Mutations within the spike protein sequences were analysed and compared with the previously reported lineages and sub-lineages, to identify the potential impact of the unique mutations on protein structure and possible alterations in the functionality. Several unique and dynamic mutations were identified herein. Molecular docking analysis showed changes in the binding affinity, and key interacting residues of wild-type and mutated structures with key host cell receptors of SARS-CoV-2 entry viz., ACE2, CD147, CD209L and AXL. Our data provides key insights on the emergence of newer variants and highlights the necessity for robust and sustained global genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2