Effect of diethyl ether and ethanol on performance,combustion, and emission of single-cylinder compression ignition engine

The effect of diesel, ethanol, and diethyl ether (DEE) blends on performance, combustion, and emission of a 3.6?kW single-cylinder compression ignition engine is investigated in this paper. The experiments were conducted using different percentages of ethanol and DEE in diesel. The fuel samples selected for experimentation included neat diesel fuel, 5% DEE (D95DEE5), 10% DEE (D90DEE10), 5% DEE with 5% ethanol (D90DEE5E5), 5% DEE with 10% ethanol (D85DEE5E10), 10% DEE with 5% ethanol (D85DEE10E5), and 10% DEE with 10% ethanol (D80DEE10E10). It was found that 5% DEE can improve the brake thermal efficiency (η_bth), but the same decreased with 10% DEE in the blend. However, ethanol addition to both the blends produced an appreciable increase in η_bth of the engine. The diesel–DEE–ethanol blends were also more efficient in reducing emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x), hydrocarbon (HC), and particulate matter (PM). Among all the blends tested in this study, it was found that the D80DEE10E10 blend can produce optimum performance-emission characteristics with improved thermal efficiency and reduced emission of NO_x, CO, HC, and PM.     

Performance characteristics of palm kernel biodiesel and its blend in a CI engine

The full load performance characteristics of a diesel engine fuelled with palm kernel biodiesel and its blend with diesel fuel are presented in this paper. The biodiesel was synthesised from Nigerian palm kernel oil through a direct base catalysed transesterification process using sodium hydroxide and methanol as the catalyst and alcohol, respectively. The produced biodiesel was blended with neat diesel fuel at a ratio of 20% biodiesel to 80% diesel by volume. The engine torque, brake power, brake specific fuel consumption and brake mean effective pressure were determined for each of the fuels at 400 rpm intervals between 1200 and 3600 rpm. In other to establish a baseline for comparison, the engine was first run on neat diesel. The test results interestingly revealed that the fuel blend (B20) produced higher torque at low and medium engine speeds than neat diesel fuel and unblended biodiesel (B100). This suggests that it can be a suitable fuel for heavy duty engines that are required to develop high torque at low engine speeds. It was also observed that diesel fuel developed higher torque and brake power than the unblended biodiesel (B100) at all tested speeds and showed the least brake specific fuel consumption possibly because of its higher heating value. In all, the palm kernel biodiesel and its blend (B20) exhibited performance characteristic trends very similar to that of diesel fuel thus confirming them as suitable alternative fuels for compression ignition engines.     

Performance analysis of low heat rejection diesel engine,using Mahua oil bio fuel

In the present investigation, the effect of thermal barrier coated piston on the performance and emission characteristics of mahua-biodiesel-fuelled diesel engine was studied and compared with those of neat diesel fuel. The piston, cylinder walls and the valves of the engine were coated with 0.25?mm thickness of Al₂O₃ material without affecting the compression ratio of the engine. Experiments were conducted using diesel and biodiesel blend (B20) in the engine with and without coating. The results revealed that specific fuel consumption was decreased by 8.5% and the brake thermal efficiency was increased by 6.2% for biodiesel blend with coated engine compared with the base engine with neat diesel fuel. The exhaust emissions CO, NO_x and HC emissions were also decreased for biodiesel blend with coated engine compared with base engine.     

Performance,emission and combustion characteristics of an Indica diesel engine operated with Yellow Oleander (Thevetia peruviana) oil biodiesel produced through hydrodynamic cavitation method

The present work deals about the performance, emission and combustion characteristics of a four-cylinder, direct injection, water-cooled, Indica diesel engine fuelled with biodiesel produced through the hydrodynamic cavitation method from an underutilised and potential feedstock Yellow Oleander (Thevetia peruviana) oil. Engine tests were performed with neat diesel and biodiesel blends of 10%, 20% and 30% from Yellow Oleander oil at different engine speeds. Experimental results showed that biodiesel produced through the hydrodynamic cavitation technique with a 1%?w/w catalyst percentage, 6:1?molar ratio and 35?min reaction time was equal to 97.5%. During engine performance tests, biodiesel blends showed higher brake-specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency (for lower blends up to 20%) and exhaust gas temperature than diesel fuel. Engine emissions showed higher nitrogen oxide, but a decreased amount of smoke opacity, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon and favourable p–θ diagram as compared to diesel.     

Investigation on the combustion,performance and emissions of a diesel engine fuelled by biodiesel and its blends with different oxygenated organic compounds

An experimental investigation is carried out to evaluate the effects of biodiesel–ethanol (BE) blends, biodiesel–dimethyl carbonate (BC) blends and biodiesel–diglyme (BG) blends on the combustion, performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine operated at different loads and constant engine speed. Compared with biodiesel, for a specific engine load, the BE and BC blends have lower peak cylinder pressure at full load, while the BG blends show a slight variation in the peak cylinder pressure. In comparison with biodiesel, the BE, BC and BG blends have slightly higher brake thermal efficiency. Drastic reduction in smoke is observed with BE, BC and BG blends at higher engine loads. The BSNO_x emissions are found slightly lower for BE, BC and BG blends almost at all loads. The BE and BC blends have a slight variation in the BSCO and BSHC emissions, while the BG blends have lower BSCO and BSHC emissions.     

Thermodynamic analysis of compression ignition engine using neat Karanja oil under varying compression ratio

Exergy analysis method has been widely used to evaluate the energy utilisation efficiency and potential of waste heat energy. The objective of the present investigation is to analyse the exergy efficiency, destruction of exergy, mean gas temperature, exhaust temperature, brake thermal efficiency and brake-specific fuel consumption of a single cylinder diesel engine using diesel and neat Karanja oil blends at different compression ratios (CRs) at full load and at different loads with a CR of 18. It is observed that 10% neat Karanja oil blend (K10) shows similar performance to diesel and better than 20% neat Karanja oil blend (K20). But K20 shows better performance at a CR of 18 as compared to 16. At higher loads, exergy efficiency and destruction of exergy are found more at a CR of 18 for all fuels. Destruction of exergy decreases and exergy efficiency increases at CR 18.     

Experimental investigation of engine emissions with marine gas oil-oxygenate blends

This paper investigates the diesel engine performance and exhaust emissions with marine gas oil-alternative fuel additive. Marine gas oil (MGO) was selected as base fuel for the engine experiments. An oxygenate, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DGM), and a biodiesel (BD) jatropha oil methyl ester (JOME) with a volume of 10% were blended with the MGO fuel. JOME was derived from inedible jatropha oil. Lower emissions with diesel-BD blends (soybean methyl ester, rapeseed methyl ester etc.) have been established so far, but the effect of MGO-BD (JOME) blends on engine performance and emissions has been a growing interest as JOME (BD) is derived from inedible oil and MGO is frequently used in maritime transports. No phase separation between MGO-DGM and MGO-JOME blends was found. The neat MGO, MGO-DGM and MGO-JOME blends are termed as MGO, Ox10 and B10 respectively. The experiments were conducted with a six-cylinder, four-stroke, turbocharged, direct-injection Scania DC 1102 (DI) diesel engine. The experimental results showed significant reductions in fine particle number and mass emissions, PM and smoke emissions with Ox10 and B10 fuels compared to the MGO fuel. Other emissions including total unburned hydrocarbon (THC), carbon monoxide (CO) and engine noise were also reduced with the Ox10 and B10 fuels, while maintaining similar brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and thermal efficiency with MGO fuel. Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, on the other hand, were slightly higher with the Ox10 and B10 fuels at high engine load conditions.     

Performance and emission characteristics of cashew nut shell oil on the CI engine

This article is an effort to address the need for a non-cooking oil-based biodiesel. Here, the experimental work is done on a single cylinder, direct injection CI engine using cashew nut shell oil biodiesel blends under constant speed. The cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) biodiesel is blended with the diesel fuel and used as biodiesel blend. Blends used for testing are B20, B40 and B60. The effect of the fuels on engine power, brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and exhaust gas temperature was determined by performance tests. The influences of blends on CO, CO₂, HC and NO_x emissions were investigated by emission tests. The BTE values of biodiesel are closer to diesel. Compared to diesel, all the biodiesel blends gave lesser unburnt hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke emissions. Slightly higher NO_x emissions were found in CNSL biodiesel blends, which is typical of the other biodiesels.     

Experimental study on particulate and NOx emissions of a diesel engine fueled with ultra low sulfur diesel, RME-diesel blends and PME-diesel blends

Ultra low sulfur diesel and two different kinds of biodiesel fuels blended with baseline diesel fuel in 5% and 20% v/v were tested in a Cummins 4BTA direct injection diesel engine, with a turbocharger and an intercooler. Experiments were conducted under five engine loads at two steady speeds (1500 rpm and 2500 rpm). The study aims at investigating the engine performance, NO_x emission, smoke opacity, PM composition, PM size distribution and comparing the impacts of low sulfur content of biodiesel with ULSD on the particulate emission. The results indicate that, compared to base diesel fuel, the increase of biodiesel in blends could cause certain increase in both brake specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency. Compared with baseline diesel fuel, the biodiesel blends bring about more NO_x emissions. With the proportion of biodiesel increase in blends, the smoke opacity decreases, while total particle number concentration increases. Meanwhile the ULSD gives lower NO_x emissions, smoke opacity and total number concentration than those of baseline diesel fuel. In addition, the percentages of SOF and sulfate in particulates increase with biodiesel in blends, while the dry soot friction decreases obviously. Compared with baseline diesel fuel, the biodiesel blends increase the total nucleation number concentration, while ULSD reduces the total nucleation number concentration effectively, although they all have lower sulfur content. It means that, for ULSD, the lower sulfur content is the dominant factor for suppressing nucleation particles formation, while for biodiesel blends, lower volatile, lower aromatic content and higher oxygen content of biodiesel are key factors for improving the nucleation particles formation. The results demonstrate that the higher NO_x emission and total nucleation number concentration are considered as the big obstacles of the application of biodiesel in diesel engine.     

The combined effect of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and exhaust gas recirculation on the performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine

The present experimental investigation focuses on the combined effects of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) of a diesel engine fuelled with Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel blends. The C. inophyllum biodiesel-diesel blend was prepared in a proportion of 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel (B20) by a volumetric basis with a magnetic stirrer. The MWCNTs (in the mass fraction of 40?ppm) were dispersed into the B20 fuel with the help of an ultrasonicator. The results show that brake thermal efficiency increases by 7.6% with the addition of MWCNTs to the B20 fuel, decreases by 2.42% with the EGR to the B20 fuel, and increases by 2.26% with the addition of MWCNTs and EGR to the B20 fuel compared to the B20 fuel. The maximum cylinder pressure and heat release rate was occurred as 67.35 bar and 74.80?kJ/m³ deg for the B20MWCNT40 fuel at full load condition. The CO and HC emissions for the B20MWCNT40+20%EGR fuel sample were lower compared to the B20 fuel. The Smoke emissions were reduced for B20MWCNT40 fuel compared to the B20 fuel. The NO_x emissions were reduced by 25.6%, 29.7% for B20+20%EGR, B20MWCNT40+20%EGR fuel samples compared to the B20 fuel.     

Experimental analysis of Deccan hemp oil as a new energy feedstock for compression ignition engine

This study investigates the biodiesel from Deccan hemp oil and its blends for the purpose of fuelling diesel engine. The performance and emission characteristics of Deccan hemp biodiesel are estimated and compared with diesel fuel. The experimental investigations are carried out with different blends of Deccan hemp biodiesel. Results show that brake thermal efficiency is improved significantly by 4.15% with 50 BDH when compared with diesel fuel. The Deccan hemp biodiesel reduces NO_x, HC and CO emission along with a marginal increase in CO₂ and smoke emissions with an increase in the biodiesel proportion in the diesel fuel. The improvement in heat release rates shows an increase in the combustion rate with different percentage blends of Deccan hemp biodiesel. From the engine test results, it has been established that 30–50 BDH of Deccan hemp biodiesel can be substituted for diesel.     

The influence of bio additive on the compression ignition engine with diesel and Jatropha methyl ester biodiesel

The present experimental investigation evaluates the effects of using blends of diesel fuel with 20% concentration of Methyl Ester of Jatropha biodiesel blended with bio additive. Both the diesel and biodiesel fuel blend was injected at 23° Before Top Dead Centre to the combustion chamber. The experiment was carried out with three different ratios of bio additive. Biodiesel was extracted from Jatropha oil; 20% (B20) concentration is found to be best blend ratio from the earlier experimental study. The bio additive was added to B20MEOJ at various concentrations of 1?ml, 2?ml and 3?ml, respectively. The main objective is to obtain minimum specific fuel consumption, better efficiency and lesser Emission using bio additive blends. The results concluded that full load shows an increase in efficiency when compared with diesel, and highest efficiency is obtained with B20MEOJBA 3?ml bio additive blend. It is noted that there is an increase in thermal efficiency as the blend ratio increases. Biodiesel blend has a performance closer to that of diesel, but emission is reduced in all blends of B20MEOJBA 3?ml compared to that in diesel. Thus the work marks for the suitability of biodiesel blends as an alternate fuel in diesel engines.     

Performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fuelled by neem oil blended with alcohols

Fuel crisis and environmental concerns have led researchers to look for alternative fuels of bio-origin sources such as vegetable oils, which can be produced from forests and oil-bearing biomass materials. Vegetable oils have energy content comparable to that of diesel fuel. Straight vegetable oils posed several operational problems and durability problems when subjected to long-term usage in compression ignition engine. These problems are attributed to higher viscosity and lower volatility. In this study, performance and emission parameters of a diesel engine operating on neem oil and its blends of 5, 10, 15 and 20?vol% with ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol and 1-pentanol are evaluated and compared with diesel operation. The results indicate that the brake thermal efficiency is improved with the use of neem oil–alcohol blends with respect to those of neat neem oil. The smoke intensity, CO and HC emissions with neem oil–alcohol blends are observed to be lower with respect to those of neat neem oil at higher loads. The NO _x emission is very slightly reduced with the use of neem oil–alcohol blends except for the neem oil–ethanol blend compared with that of neat neem oil.     

Enhancement in the performance of a diesel engine fuelled with Pongamia methyl ester and n-butanol as oxygenated additive

The present paper investigates the performance and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine fuelled with Pongamia methyl ester (PME) and n-butanol, at different loading conditions. Two blends of n-butanol–PME (10% and 20% n-butanol with PME on a volumetric basis) were prepared. The experimental results showed a significant improvement in the brake thermal efficiency of the engine with the blends and were found to increase with increasing percentage of n-butanol in the blends. The blended fuels also show lower emission such as carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) and smoke opacity. However, unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emission was found to be slightly increased. Thus, it is concluded that the biodiesel with 20% n-butanol blend showed better results with respect to efficiency and emissions point of view compared with biodiesel.     

Performance,emission and combustion characteristics of a single cylinder spark ignition engine using ethanol–petrol-blended fuels

The performance, exhaust emission and combustion analyses of a single cylinder spark ignition engine fuelled with extended range of ethanol–petrol blends were carried out successfully at full load conditions. Ethanol produced from raffia trunks was blended with petrol at different proportions by volume. In order to establish a baseline for comparison, the engine was first run on neat petrol. The engine performance parameters (engine torque, brake power, brake specific fuel consumption, brake mean effective pressure and brake thermal efficiency), exhaust emission parameters (CO, HC, CO₂ and O₂ emissions) and combustion parameters were determined for each blend of fuel at different engine speeds. The test results interestingly revealed that the addition of ethanol to petrol causes an improvement in combustion characteristics and significant reduction in exhaust emissions which in turn improved engine performance. In all, ethanol and its blends with petrol exhibited performance characteristics trends similar to that of petrol thus confirming them as suitable alternative fuels for spark ignition engines.     

Evaporation rate and engine performance analysis of coated diesel engine using Raphanus sativus biodiesel and its diesel blends

An experimental investigation to measure the evaporation rates, PSZ-coated engine performance and emissions of radish biodiesel (Methyl Ester of radish oil) and its blends in different volumetric proportions with diesel is presented. The thermo-physical properties of all the fuel blends have been measured and presented. Evaporation rates of neat radish biodiesel, neat diesel and their bends have been measured under slow convective environment of air velocity of 0.2?m/s with a constant temperature of 200°C. Evaporation constants have been determined by using the droplet regression rate data. The neat fuels and fuel blends have been utilised in a test engine with different load conditions to evaluate the performance and emission characteristics of the fuels. From the observed evaporation, performance and emissions characteristics, it can be suggested that a blend of B25–B75 could be optimally used in coated diesel engine settings without any modifications on it.     

Experimental investigation on regulated and unregulated emissions of a diesel engine fueled with ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel blended with biodiesel from waste cooking oil

Experiments were conducted on a 4-cylinder direct-injection diesel engine using ultra-low sulfur diesel, bi oesel and their blends, to investigate the regulated and unregulated emissions of the engine under five engine loads at an engine speed of 1800 rev/min. Blended fuels containing 19.6%, 39.4%, 59.4% and 79.6% by volume of biodiesel, corresponding to 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% by mass of oxygen in the blended fuel, were used. Biodiesel used in this study was converted from waste cooking oil.The following results are obtained with an increase of biodiesel in the fuel. The brake specific fuel consumption and the brake thermal efficiency increase. The HC and CO emissions decrease while NO_x and NO₂ emissions increase. The smoke opacity and particulate mass concentrations reduce significantly at high engine load. In addition, for submicron particles, the geometry mean diameter of the particles becomes smaller while the total number concentration increases. For the unregulated gaseous emissions, generally, the emissions of formaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, toluene, xylene decrease, however, acetaldehyde and benzene emissions increase.The results indicate that the combination of ultra-low sulfur diesel and biodiesel from waste cooking oil gives similar results to those in the literature using higher sulfur diesel fuels and biodiesel from other sources.     

Experimental analysis on a DI diesel engine with cerium-oxide-added Mahua methyl ester blends

An investigational research is carried out to found the performance and emission characteristics of a direct injection (DI) diesel engine with cerium oxide nanoparticles additives in diesel and biodiesel blends. Mahua methyl ester was produced by transesterification and blended with diesel. Cerium oxide nanoparticles of 50 and 100?ppm in proportion are subjected to high-speed mechanical agitation followed by ultra-sonication. The experimentations was conducted on a single cylinder DI diesel engine at a constant speed of 1500?rpm using different cerium-oxide (CeO₂)-blended biodiesel fuel (B20?+?50?ppm, B20?+?100?ppm, B50?+?50?ppm and B50?+?100?ppm) and the outcomes were compared with those of neat diesel and Mahua biodiesel blend (B20 and B50). The experimental results indicated that brake thermal efficiency of B20?+?100?ppm cerium oxide was increased by 1.8 with 1% betterment in specific fuel consumption. Emissions of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide were reasonably lower than Diesel fuel.     

Combustion characteristics of the direct injection diesel engine fuelled with corn oil methyl ester

Petroleum-based fuels is a finite resource that is rapidly depleting. Consequently, petroleum reserves are not sufficient enough to last many years. In this research, an experimental investigation has been performed to give insight into the potential of biodiesel as an alternative fuel for direct injection (DI) diesel engines. The experimental work has been carried out to estimate the combustion characteristics of a single-cylinder, four-stroke, DI diesel engine fuelled with corn oil methyl ester (COME) and diesel blends. The COME was preheated to temperatures namely 50°C, 70°C and 90°C before it was supplied to the engine. The optimised preheated temperature of 70°C was chosen based on the higher brake thermal efficiency and lower specific fuel consumption. The performance, emission and combustion characteristics are evaluated by running the engine with COME and diesel blends at this preheated temperature. In this paper, the combustion characteristics are only discussed. The combustion characteristics such as ignition delay, maximum rate of pressure, heat release rate, cumulative heat release rate, mass fraction burned and combustion duration of COME methyl ester and diesel were evaluated and compared with neat diesel. The rate of pressure rise and maximum combustion pressure inside the cylinder were high for COME blends compared with neat diesel. The heat release rate of diesel is higher compared with COME blends. The ignition delay and combustion duration are decreased for COME blends compared with neat diesel. The cumulative heat release rate and mass fraction burnt of COME blends are higher than neat diesel.     

Impact of oxygenated cottonseed biodiesel on combustion,performance and emission parameters in a direct injection CI engine

In the present study, biodiesel production from the crude cotton-seed oil (CSO) and its feasibility to be used as fuel in compression ignition engine was analysed. Single-stage transesterification at molar ratio of 8:1 on crude CSO yielded 94% of cottonseed biodiesel (CBD). Gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of 19.5% unsaturated and 80.5% saturated esters in cotton seed biodiesel. Taguchi approach identified the stable fuel blend with oxygenate concentration. Increased oxygen concentration up to 20% were also analysed to understand the variation. Higher peak in-cylinder pressure was observed in D80CBD20 fuel blend. Diesel–biodiesel blend with oxygenate significantly affected the ignition delay and also resulted in varied exhaust gas temperature. D80CBD20nB10 showed an increase in brake thermal efficiency, whereas D80CBD20 exhibited higher brake specific energy consumption at full load. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and smoke emission was found to be high in diesel with higher oxides of nitrogen in D80CBD20nB10. This experimental investigation finally revealed that, D80CBD20nB10 improved the combustion and performance characteristics with minimal emissions.

Abbreviations ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials; BP: brake power; BSEC: brake specific energy consumption; BTE: brake thermal efficiency; CBD: cottonseed biodiesel; CI: compression ignition; CO: carbon monoxide; CO₂: carbon dioxide; CSO: cottonseed oil; DEE: diethyl ether; DOE: design of experiments; EGT: exhaust gas temperature; FTIR: Fourier transform infrared spectrometry; GC/MS: gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry; HC: hydrocarbon; HRR: heat release rate; HSDI: high speed direct injection; IDI: indirect injection; KOH: potassium hydroxide; MFB: mass fraction burned; NaOH: sodium hydroxide; NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance; N₂O: nitrous oxide; NO: nitric oxide; NO₂: nitrogen dioxide; NO _x : oxides of nitrogen; ROHR: rate of heat release; ROPR: rate of pressure rise; SOC: start of combustion; aTDC: after top dead centre; bTDC: before top dead centre