Performance, Combustion, and Emissions Characteristics of Conventional Diesel Engine Using Butanol Blends

Abstract

Energy security concern and stringent emission legislations norms demand a clean and high fuel conversion efficiency engines. Diesel compression ignition (CI) engines are more preferred over the spark-ignition (SI) engines in commercial applications due to their higher fuel conversion efficiency. Present chapter focuses on the effect of butanol addition in the diesel fuel on the combustion and emissions characteristics of a diesel engine. Butanol has inimitable properties, which makes it more suitable candidate fuel for diesel engine in comparison to other alcohol fuels such as ethanol and methanol. Combustion characteristics of the engine are analyzed from heat release analysis of measured in-cylinder pressure data at different engine operating conditions. Combustion stability is also discussed with respect to diesel engine operation with butanol blends. Carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission characteristics of diesel engine using butanol blends are discussed in this chapter. Special emphasis is placed on the discussion of particulate emission (soot particle numbers) in diesel engine with butanol blends.