Abstract
SYNOPSIS In recent years, researchers have intensified efforts in a bid to identify greener alternative fuels for internal combustion (i.c) engines. Combustion of fossil fuel is the main culprit in raising the carbon dioxide (CO2) content of the atmosphere. This contributes up to 60% of greenhouse gases whose consequence is global warming. The combustion of biofuels has fewer adverse effects and the effects are more localised than those of fossil fuels. Many energy sources (natural gas, bio-derived gas and liquids) are now being investigated as potential substitutes for the present conventional fossil fuels. Natural gas is more attractive alternative fuel for i.c engines due to its high octane number and environmental friendly nature. The pilot fuels used are diesel fuel, rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and neat rapeseed oil. This paper investigates the emission characteristics of a diesel engine running on natural gas using these pilot fuels as a means of initiating combustion. The test results show that the rape oil pilot injection system produced the lowest carbon monoxide (CO) concentration in the exhaust, whereas the diesel fuel pilot produced the highest values of CO. The results showed very significant increases in CO2 concentrations when running on RME pilot injection. The RME pilot system produced the lowest hydrocarbon (HC) emissions at light loading conditions. The rapeseed oil pilot system exhibited the longest delay period at light load and produced the lowest at high loading conditions. The fuel consumption was higher when running on the RME pilot system.
Published Version
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