Energy, exergy and environmental assessments of biodiesel and diesel fuels for an internal combustion engine using silicon carbide particulate filter

Abstract

In this study, an internal combustion engine is experimentally analyzed under 100 Nm engine load using biodiesel and diesel fuels. The analyses of energy, exergy and environment are also applied to the internal combustion engine without after treatment system (Engine-Out) and with silicon carbide-based diesel particle filter (SiC-DPF) after treatment system. The impact of the utilization of SiC-DPF on the exhaust emissions and energy, exergy, environmental analyses results are examined. It is determined that (1) the work rate of diesel-fueled engine is higher than the biodiesel-fueled engine. (2) When energy and exergy losses are taken into consideration, the use of SiC-DPF has a positive effect on the emissions of the biodiesel-fueled engine, but it does not have the same effect for the diesel-fueled engine. (3) The biodiesel-fueled engine has higher energy and exergy efficiencies than diesel-fueled engine with and without after treatment systems. (4) In terms of exergy destruction, the results of the diesel-fueled engine have the maximum value with the use of SiC-DPF after treatment system, while the results of the biodiesel-fueled engine have the minimum value with the use of SiC-DPF. This reveals the effectiveness of the use of SiC-DPF after treatment system. (5) The emission rate of CO2 is obtained as maximum for the biodiesel-fueled engine. Also, the minimum CO2 emission rate is determined for the diesel-fueled engine without after treatment system. The use of SiC-DPF contributes to a reduction in CO2 emission for the biodiesel fuel, while it causes an increase for the diesel fuel. (6) The entropy generation rate of the biodiesel-fueled engine is lower than the diesel-fueled engine with and without after treatment options. This study could help future studies on the choice of fuels and utilization of after treatment systems in the internal combustion engines in terms of better environment.