Dual fuel operation normally poses problems of low efficiency when the concentration of the inducted pilot fuel is low. This is because the lean mixture of the inducted fuel with the air does not burn well. Use of gaseous fuels with wide flammability limits and high flame velocity can overcome such problems in the dual fuel engine. Since the vegetable oils produce high smoke emissions, dual fuel approach can be a viable option for improving their performance. Transesterification is a chemical process by which the viscosity of vegetable oils and other fats is reduced to make them compatible as fuels in CI engine.

Keywords: Dual Fuel, Pilot Fuel, Lean Mixture, Gaseous Fuels, Flammability Limits, Smoke Emissions.