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Madhuca indica flower is a forest residue used for preparation of food and liquor in tribal areas of India. In this present investigation, bioethanol produced from madhuca indica flower by the fermentation process is proposed as an alternative fuel for diesel engines. As the cetane number of bioethanol is low, an ignition improver is required for better operation. In this study, Diethyl ether (DEE), an ignition improver is fumigated at two different flow rates viz 120 g/h and 240 g/h in the intake manifold along with the air in a single cylinder, four stroke, DI diesel engine developing a power of 4.4 kW at a rated speed of 1500 rpm. The brake thermal efficiency (BTE) is found to be higher by about 10.47 and 2.46% with 120 g/h and 240 g/h flow rate of the DEE respectively, compared to that of diesel at full load.

Experimental investigations were carried out to study the effect of the addition of an ignition improver with a bioethanol diesel emulsion, on the performance and emission behavior of a single-cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled, direct-injection (DI) diesel engine, with a rated power of 4.4 kW at a constant speed of 1500 rpm. Bioethanol was produced from the madhuca indica flower, which is proposed as a new feed stock. 15% bioethanol was emulsified with 84% diesel on a volume basis with the help of a surfactant of 1% to get the emulsion named as BDE15. The ignition improver used in the experimentation was diethyl ether (DEE) whose cetane number is greater than 125. 1% and 2% of DEE was added to the bioethanol diesel emulsion named as BDE+DEE1% and BDE+DEE2% respectively. The performance and emission results of the engine fueled with BDE15, with BDE+DEE1% and BDE+DEE2% were compared with those of diesel operation, and are presented in the paper.