Effects of hydrocarbon fuel extracted from waste transformer oil on a DI diesel engine

In this study, hydrocarbon fuel (HCF) was derived from waste transformer oil through a traditional base-catalysed transesterification process. The experimental investigations using its blends of 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% and diesel fuel were carried out separately. The HCF obtained from waste transformer oil is used in a direct injection (DI) diesel engine without any engine modification to evaluate its performance, emission and combustion characteristics. The results indicate that the engine operating on test fuel blends shows a marginal increase in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) with a significant reduction in smoke. Nitrous oxides (NOx) emission was slightly higher for test fuel blends than for diesel. The results show that at maximum load conditions, 25% HCF reduces carbon monoxide, smoke and hydrocarbon emission by 50%, 31% and 10%, respectively, whereas 50% HCF shows a greater BTE than other blends and is 12% higher than that of the diesel fuel. The combustion characteristics of fuel blends closely followed those of standard diesel.