The miscibility of hydrogenated bio-oil with diesel and its applicability test in diesel engine: A surrogate (ethylene glycol) study

Abstract

In this work, the miscibility of hydrogenated biomass-pyrolysis-oil with diesel and its applicability in diesel engine has been tested by using its surrogate-ethylene glycol. The miscibility of ethylene glycol and 1,3-propylene glycol with diesel has been tested, finding that only 10% vol ethylene glycol could be mixed with diesel and 1,3-propylene glycol is immiscible with diesel. In order to make a direct comparison, 10% ethanol-90% diesel, 10% ethylene-90% diesel, and 10% ethyl acetate-90% diesel blends have been tested in a diesel engine under the same operation conditions. The engine performance of ethylene glycol is comparable to ethanol and ethyl acetate. There is no significant difference in brake specific fuel consumption and exhaust gas temperature for blends. The three oxygenated compounds all have lower CO emissions than diesel. Besides, ethylene glycol and ethyl acetate could reduce the NOx emission. All the three fuels have reported the reduction of soot emission. This work offers the possibility that ethylene glycol (hydrogenated bio-oil) could be used as a useful additive (up to 10% vol) in diesel.