Avinash Kumar Agarwal talks
with ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions
about this month's New Hot Paper in the field of
Engineering.
Article Title:
Biofuels
(alcohols and biodiesel) applications as fuels for internal
combustion engines
Authors: Agarwal,
AK
Journal: PROG ENERG COMBUST SCI
Volume: 33
Issue: 3
Page: 233-271
Year: JUN 2007
* Indian Inst Technol, Dept Mech Engn, Kanpur 208016, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
* Indian Inst Technol, Dept Mech Engn, Kanpur 208016, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
I think that this paper is highly cited because it covers a full spectrum
of investigations carried out on
biofuels, along with a very
comprehensive review of the literature. More than half of this paper is
about research done in my laboratory, while the remainder is a review of
the literature and that seems to have been much appreciated by
international researchers at work in this field.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
"This research is
going to change the way we
allocate our hydrocarbon
resources in the
future."
This paper describes some of the most comprehensive research and
experimental techniques which were applied to biofuels research for the
first time. Analytical chemistry is used to answer some of the complicated
mechanical engineering related problems.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman's terms?
The paper covers all aspects of biofuels (biodiesel and alcohol), starting
from the production stage and fuel characterization, along through detailed
engine tests involving performance, emission, and long-term investigations
into aspects other than the mere combustion of these alternative fuels.
Various engine-out emissions—both regulated as well as
unregulated—have also been investigated and reported in this paper.
How did you become involved in this research, and
were there any problems along the way?
This subject was the focus of both my Master's degree and Ph.D.
dissertation and was followed during my career as a Professor at the Indian
Institute of Technology in Kanpur. I have faced enormous technical
challenges during the course of this research, as I am a mechanical
engineer by training and this research involved plenty of background
knowledge in both chemistry and tribology.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
The future seems to be really bright since we are moving into a new era of
higher-priced carbon energy resources and it will make economic sense to
grow our own energy sources (biodiesel fuels and alcohols) in order to
operate various machines, which are such an essential part of modern
living.
Do you foresee any social or political implications
for your research?
Yes. This research is going to change the way we allocate our hydrocarbon
resources in the future. Research into biofuels is going to grow in
importance as the price of hydrocarbon fuel increases.
Dr. Avinash K. Agarwal
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur(IITK)
Kanpur, India Web