Mechanical and emissions performance of a diesel engine fueled with biodiesel, ethanol and diethyl ether blends

In this work, the effects of the addition of ethanol and diethyl ether (DEE) in a 54 kW mechanical fuel injection diesel engine, operating with diesel–biodiesel blends, were evaluated. The fuel compositions tested were fossil diesel (D100), B20 (20% biodiesel and 80% diesel), B20E (90% B20 and 10% ethanol) and B20E + DEE (95% B20E and 5% DEE). DEE was used as a cetane improver for the ethanol–biodiesel–diesel blend. D100 and B20 were used as references. Its results showed few differences between them, considering performance and emissions. Considering the blends B20E and B20E + DEE, effective reductions in NOx and PM emissions were observed, in relation to D100 and B20, especially in medium and high loads. MBT decreased as a result of the reduction in LHV. The engine efficiency for all the fuels was close, but at the high load the blend B20E + DEE presented the highest efficiency.