Investigation of the effects of steam injection on the emissions and performance of a diesel engine using waste chicken oil methyl ester

The use of biodiesel-blended fuels in diesel engines improves the engine performance parameters and the partial recovery of incomplete combustion products, while also increasing the level of NOx emissions. In this study; biodiesel obtained through the transesterification of waste chicken frying oil was mixed with diesel fuel (90% diesel + 10% biodiesel-B10), and was then used as fuel in a direct injection diesel engine. To reduce the increased NOx emissions caused by the use of B10 fuel, the steam injection method (which is one of the NOx reduction methods) was applied. Steam was injected into the intake manifold at different ratios (5%-S5, 10%-S10 and 15%-S15) and at the time of the induction stroke with the aid of an electronically controlled system. Based on the study results, it was observed that steam injection into the engine using B10 fuel improved both the engine performance and the exhaust emission parameters. It was determined that the S15 steam injection ratio resulted in the best engine performance and emissions parameters. In comparison to STD fuel; the highest increase observed at the S15 steam injection ratio in the effective engine power was 2.2%, while the highest decrease in the specific fuel consumption was 3.4%, the highest increase in the effective efficiency was 3.5%, and the highest decrease in NOx emissions was 13.7%.