Impact of diesel – Algae biodiesel- Anhydrous Ethanol blends on the performance of CI engines

Abstract

Green biofuels are potential suggested solutions to pollutant emission issues and society’s dependence on fossil derivatives for some time. Ethanol and biodiesel are renewable commercial fuels that are candidates for substituting fossil sources, especially in diesel engines, which are typically more efficient than spark-ignition engines. Ternary blends of diesel, biodiesel, and Ethanol form partial diesel replacement strategies applicable to diesel engines without the need for major adaptations. In this study, experimental evaluations were carried out in a multi-cylindrical diesel engine, supplied with diesel blends, Chlorella Vulgaris algae biodiesel (up to 20% in volumetric content), and anhydrous Ethanol (up to 20% in volumetric content). Each ternary blend is composed of different alcohol proportions and always with a volumetric concentration of 1% of a blend stabilizing additive. Therefore, the tests associate partial substitutions of diesel for biofuels with evaluations of engine performance and combustion of the blends under some load conditions, rotation regimes, and fuel injection instants. However, the search for optimized instants in fuel injection brought improvements to the engine’s performance, allowed more advantageous energy conversions from Ethanol in diesel compared to spark ignition, in addition to minimizing the effects of Ethanol in delaying the beginning of combustion. To determine the effects of different ethanol proportions on efficiency when the CI engine is supplied with DBE mixtures, specific conditions of rotation, torque, and fuel injection moments were considered in the tests’ planning.