Comparative assessment of different diesel engines fueled with 1‐pentanol and diesel blends

Abstract

Abstract1‐pentanol has been gathering attention because of its advantages over the lower alcohols, and the researchers consider that it is a promising alternative fuel for diesel engines. In this study, two types of diesel engines were fueled with various blends of 1‐pentanol (5%–35%) and diesel blends. Engine tests were performed using Onan DJC and Subaru RGD (3300H) unmodified diesel engines under different engine loads and speeds and results were reported and compared for both diesel engines. Test results of Onan and Subaru engines showed that average brake thermal efficiency (BTE) decreased, while brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) increased with increasing presence of 1‐pentanol in the binary blends. Addition of 1‐pentanol to diesel fuel significantly decreased oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, while hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions increased drastically with the use of 1‐pentanol as compared to diesel fuel. It is noted that the engine specifications, operating conditions and 1‐pentanol blend ratio significantly affect HC emissions. As a result, the lowest ratio of 1‐pentanol is the most promising candidate for decreasing NOx emissions, but at the expense of increasing BSFC for any type of diesel engine without any engine modification.