3Bio-Based Additives to Improve Diesel Engine Performance and Emissions

This study investigates addition of ethanol and diethyl ether into diesel fuel. Base fuel and three different blends were used in the tests. The experiments were performed at engine speed of 1500 rpm and under various loads by single cylinder diesel engine. Injection, combustion, performance and emissions parameters were evaluated for base fuel and blends. Results show that injection pressure decreases for all blends, and DEE addition causes delay in injection timing. Burnt mass fraction is lower for ethanol and DEE blends during early combustion phase, while it increases with DEE blends during progressive combustion phase. Ethanol and DEE blends also give reductions in cylinder pressure and temperature. Generally, air excess coefficients increase but exhaust gas temperature decreases when using ethanol and DEE blends. Although ethanol blend causes decrements in engine power and torque, DEE blends give closer values to diesel fuel. Both ethanol and DEE blends yield improvement in brake thermal efficiency and reduction in brake specific fuel consumption. When using fuel blends, generally, decrements in NOx and CO2 emissions and increments in HC emission occur, while CO emission shows fluctuations depending on engine load.