Performance and emission characteristics of CI engine, fuelled with diesel and oxygenated fuel blends

Vegetable oils are a potential alternative towards partial or total substitution of diesel fuels. In this study, we used ethanol as the solvent, and a bio fuel enhancer as additive to explore the possible use of higher percentages of biodiesel in an unmodified diesel engine. Biodiesel was produced from cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) by pyrolysis process. A mixture containing 80% (by volume) of Number 2 diesel fuel and 20% (by volume) of biodiesel is called here as B20. The effect of 10% ethanol, (by volume) blended with B20 was studied in a single cylinder, four strokes direct injection diesel engine after adding a bio fuel enhancer as additive. The impact of test fuels on engine torque, power, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, and exhaust gas temperature were investigated by the performance tests. The influence of blends on CO, CO2, HC, NO and smoke opacity were measured by emission tests. The experimental results showed that when a fuel mixture containing 10% ethanol, B20 and a bio fuel enhancer as additive was used, the exhaust emissions were fairly reduced; especially the NO is reduced remarkably by 30% when compared to using B20 alone. Smoke opacity was reduced by 20% when compared to using diesel alone.