An experimental assessment on the influence of fuel-borne additives on ternary fuel (diesel-biodiesel-ethanol) blends operated in a single cylinder diesel engine.

Abstract

The present work is dedicated to the experimental analysis on the influence of fuel-borne additives on ternary fuel blend operated in a single cylinder DI diesel engine. Alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles were chosen as fuel additives at dosing levels of 10, 20, and 30ppm, respectively, and the ternary fuel (TF) is prepared by blending 70% diesel, 20% Jatropha biodiesel, and 10% ethanol. Performance characteristics like brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake-specific energy consumption (BSEC) and emission characteristics like HC, CO, NOx, and smoke along with combustion characteristics like cylinder pressure, HRR (heat release rate), and CHRR (cumulative heat release rate) were considered for analysis. Based on experimentation, it is observed that TF blended with 20ppm alumina nanoadditive (TF20) resulted in higher BTE and lowered BSEC by 7.8 and 4.93% and lowered HC, CO, NOx, and smoke emissions by 5.69, 11.24, 9.39, and 6.48% in comparison with TF. Moreover, TF20 resulted in higher cylinder pressure, HRR, and CHRR of about 72.67bar, 76.22J/°CA, and 1171.1J, respectively, which are higher than those of diesel and TF. Hence, it is concluded that the addition of 20ppm alumina nanoadditive in TF can enhance the engine performance and combustion as well as lower the exhaust pollutants simultaneously.