Effect of diethyl ether and ethanol additives on the combustion and emission characteristics of biodiesel-diesel blended fuel engine

• Published in: Renewable energy Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 1252 - 1258
• Main Authors: Qi, D.H., Chen, H., Geng, L.M., Bian, Y.Z.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alcohols: methanol, ethanol, etc; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Beryllium; Biodiesel; Combustion; Combustion characteristics; Diesel; Diethyl ether; Emissions; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Engines; Engines and turbines; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Miscellaneous; Peak pressure; Combustion characteristics; Ethanol; Diethyl ether; Biodiesel; Emissions
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2010.09.021

An experimental investigation is conducted to evaluate the effects of using diethyl ether and ethanol as additives to biodiesel/diesel blends on the performance, emissions and combustion characteristics of a direct injection diesel engine. The test fuels are denoted as B30 (30% biodiesel and 70% diesel in vol.), BE-1 (5% diethyl ether, 25% biodiesel and 70% diesel in vol.) and BE-2 (5% ethanol, 25% biodiesel and 70% diesel in vol.) respectively. The results indicate that, compared with B30, there is slightly lower brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) for BE-1. Drastic reduction in smoke is observed with BE-1 and BE-2 at higher engine loads. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are found slightly higher for BE-2. Hydrocarbon (HC) emissions are slightly higher for BE-1 and BE-2, but carbon monoxide (CO) are slightly lower. The peak pressure, peak pressure rise rate and peak heat release rate of BE-1 are almost similar to those of B30, and higher than those of BE-2 at lower engine loads. At higher engine loads the peak pressure, peak pressure rise rate and peak heat release rate of BE-1 are the highest and those of B30 are the lowest. BE-1 reflects better engine performance and combustion characteristics than BE-2 and B30.