Brake Thermal Efficiency Research Articles

Analyzing the effect of carbon nanoparticles on the combustion performance and emissions of a DI diesel engine fueled with the diesel-methanol blend

With the energy crisis and worsening environmental pollution, methanol, as a carbon-neutral fuel, has become a research hotspot in the field of internal combustion engines. This study discusses the influence of different kinds (graphite oxide, GO; multilayer graphene, MG; carbon nanotubes, CNT) and concentrations of carbon nanoparticles, which do not introduce any new elements, added to the diesel-methanol blend on combustion performance and exhaust emissions in a direct injection (DI) diesel engine across diverse operating load conditions. The results showed that the nano-fuels with carbon nano-additives had a better combustion process, with higher peak cylinder pressure (Pmax) and peak heat release rate (HRRmax), and lower ignition delay (ID) and combustion duration (CD). Moreover, the presence of carbon nano-additives resulted in an improvement in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and a decrement in the break-specific fuel consumption (BSFC). The nano-fuels with GO showed the best optimization effect on the combustion process, followed by MG and CNT. As for emission, the nano-fuels had fewer emissions of CO, HC, and smoke opacity. The nano-fuels with CNT achieved the most significant decrease in emissions of CO and HC. While the presence of GO had the best reduction effect in smoke opacity. However, there was a slight increase in NOx emission. The experimental findings demonstrate that the utilization of carbon nanoparticles in nano-fuels can effectively enhance the application of methanol in internal combustion engines.

Exploring the multifarious blend ratios of waste fried edible oil biodiesel/diesel/low carbon methanol in an automotive engine: An approach towards fuel characterization, experimental, and multicriteria decision making method

AbstractA low‐cost, high‐performance alternative fuel to traditional fossil fuels is required due to rising energy demand, fossil fuel depletion, and rising prices. In this case, one of the green fuels could be synthesized using transesterification from waste‐fried edible oil (WFEO). The current study deals with neat diesel (D100) and waste‐fried edible oil biodiesel (B100) as the baseline fuels. By volume, a binary blend of 50% diesel and 50% WFEO biodiesel was prepared. The biodiesel/methanol/diesel mixture was considered a ternary blend under two different ternary ratios, such as B40M10D50 and B30M20D50, respectively. The fuel characterization and the rheological study were performed for all the fuel blends as per the ASTM standards. According to engine experimental results, the B30M20D50 blend has 25.42% higher brake thermal efficiency (BTE) than B100 but 3.4% lower than D100 at full load due to the higher methanol percentage. When compared with D100, adding 20% methanol to the ternary blend reduced brake‐specific fuel consumption (BSFC) by 33.34%. Both ternary blends increased NOx emissions by 27.38% and 22.97% compared to D100 but decreased them by 14.23% and 18.68% compared to B100. Both ternary blends produced 0.4 and 0.36 kg/kWh at lower loads, while the D100 and B100 produced 0.46 and 0.42 kg/kWh. Finally, the entropy‐weighted technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) multi‐criteria decision‐making method was used to determine the best blend for engine performance and emissions. The entropy‐weighted TOPSIS technique likewise found that a B30M20D50 ternary blend with 75% loading had the lowest emissions and best performance.

Utilization of hydrogen and methane as energy carriers with exhaust gas recirculation for sustainable diesel engines

Hydrogen and methane as secondary fuels in diesel engines can be promising solutions to meet energy demand. The current study investigated the effect of the specialty gases of different compositions on diesel engine performance and exhaust gases. Four gases with various compositions of exhaust gas recirculation (Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, and Nitrogen) and fuels (Hydrogen and Methane) were used at various mass flow rates of 10, 20, and 25 LPM (liter per minute), and various engine speeds of 2000, 2500, 3000, and 3500 rpm (revolutions per minute). The procured results revealed that adding specialty gases improved brake thermal efficiency and power. Similarly, the brake-specific fuel consumption was also massively retarded compared to diesel due to the influence of the hydrogen and methane composition. However, the fuel with the higher nitrogen reported less BTE (brake thermal efficiency) and comparatively higher exhaust gas temperature owing to the higher presence of nitrogen in their composition. Regarding emissions, including exhaust gas recirculation dropped the formation of pollutants efficiently compared to diesel. Among various fuels, Case 1 (30 % H2, 5 % CH4, 5 CO2, and 60 % CO) reported the lowest emission of NOx, and Case 2 (25 % H2, 5 % CH4, 5 CO2, 30 % CO, and 35 % N2) of CO and CO2 emissions. Generally, specialty gases with a variable composition of exhaust gas recirculation gases can be a promising sustainable replacement for existing fossil fuels.

Investigation of nanoparticle (Fe3O4) addition to 3rd generation biodiesel (spirulina microalgae)/diesel mixture as an innovative fuel according to different engine variables: An RSM optimization

In order to reduce dangerous air pollution and lessen the hazards associated with climate change, biofuels made from vegetable biomass can be utilized as fuel in diesel engines. However, feedstocks and the crop space needed for their cultivation are unavoidable barriers that hinder its adoption and result in a shortage of farmland for increasing food profits. Nevertheless, microalgae are the most reliable and competent biodiesel supply because they are not edible and do not require cropland. Additionally, the addition of nanoparticles has become popular to improve the negative aspects of biodiesel. Based on these, in this study, multi-purpose optimization research was conducted on the addition of iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in three different amounts (25, 50, and 75 ppm) to 20 % synthesized spirulina microalgae biodiesel (SSMB)/80 % diesel mixtures. Tests were conducted at three different compression ratios (14.5:1, 15.5:1, and 16.5:1) (CoR) and four different engine loads (25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %). The response surface methodology (RSM) optimization process was performed with the test results. According to RSM, a desirability coefficient of 0.8299, 15.80:1 CoR, 68 ppm AoN, and 45 % LoE were the ideal conditions. The optimum responses under these circumstances were 421.9653 g/kWh, 19.4014 %, 0.0939 %, 4.0785 %, 73.1716 ppm and 253.0620 ppm for brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), brake-thermal efficiency (BTHE), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon (HC), and nitrogen oxide (NOx), respectively. RSM could be used successfully because the error rates (maximum 6.5 %) when comparing the test results with the RSM optimization outcomes were within reasonable bounds.

Effect of exhaust gas recirculation on the performance and emission characteristics of diesel engine with hydrogen fuel and nano additives

One of the most popular techniques for reducing emissions, in particular nitrogen oxide (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and particulate matter (PM), is exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). In an EGR system, the intake manifold is used to re-introduce some of the exhaust gases into the combustion chamber. Diesel engine performance could be enhanced by employing the right number of nano additives. Nano additions aid in increasing efficiency when using hydro fuel. The following systems are impacted by the use of EGR: brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), diesel engine combustion characteristics, brake thermal efficiency (BTE), engine speed, CO2 and HC emissions, turbocharged diesel engine performance characteristics, fuels, temperature, and on EGR.

Evaluating the effect of diethyl ether and moringa oleifera antioxidant additives on the performance and emission characteristics of jatropha biodiesel-diesel blended fuel on CI engine – An experimental investigation

Alternative fuels can be produced from both non-edible feedstocks and edible crops. The higher production costs and contaminating nature of vegetable biofuels, which cause engine component failure, make it conceivable to encourage the synthesis of biodiesel from non-edible sources. One of the most widely utilized alternative fuels is Jatropha biofuel, which has performance levels comparable to diesel fuels and can be used with CI (Compression Ignition) engines without any modifications. However when it comes to oxidative stability properties that impact shelf life and commercialization, the majority of biodiesels—including Jatropha—are lacking. Therefore, the objective of this study was to enhance the oxidative stability and other physicochemical parameters, such performance and emission characteristics, of Jatropha biodiesel with diesel blends by adding additives like DEE (diethyl ether) and MA (moringa oleifera antioxidant). The seeds of jatropha and moringa were harvested by hand and then mechanically extracted with a screw press. A conical flask containing the precisely weighed amount of oil is filled with 50 mL of neutral alcohol. The combination is then heated for an hour using a water condenser over a bath. Using phenolphthalein indicator, the contents are titrated with KOH solution after cooling. Weight of oil taken (w)/volume of KOH used (mL) × normality of KOH is the formula used to determine the acidity value of jatropha oil. It is therefore below the minimum level set by ASTM D 675, which is 2.5 mg KOH/g. Methanol was used in the transesterification process to produce biodiesel, and potassium hydroxide (KOH) was used as a catalyst. Then, using 5 % DEE and 10 % MA additives, the physicochemical properties of jatropha biodiesel—such as density, kinematics viscosity, calorific value, and oxidative stability—were characterized. The percentage of improvement of the biodiesel's mentioned properties with these additives was 0.68 %, 2.8 %, 0.73 %, and 33.8 %, respectively. The brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of B40MA10DEE05D45 increased by 8.52 % whereas the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of B50MA10DEE05D35, which is Made up of 44 % diesel, 50 % jatropha biodiesel, 5 % DEE, and 10 % MA fuels, declined by 5.14 %. As a result of these additions, the blended fuel's CO, HC, and NOx emissions were reduced by 3.51 %, 2.25 %, and 8.64 %, respectively. Therefore, a 20 % blend of Jatropha biodiesel and diesel containing antioxidants from Moringa can be used in compression ignition engines without the need for engine modifications and with high oxidation stability.

Comparative analysis of ammonia and hydrogen fuel blends in diesel engines on performance, emission, vibration, and acoustic profiles

In the current study two kinds of gaseous fuels, ammonia and hydrogen tested along with the neat diesel. A series of test conducted in the diesel engine for the samples such as diesel, S1, S2, S3 and S4. The samples were varied based on the two different flow rates 5 LPM and 10 LPM. The parameters such as brake thermal efficiency (BTE), brake specific energy consumption (BSEC), combustion parameters, emissions, and noise levels were determined. The research suggests that the typical properties of ammonia and hydrogen blends contribute to engine performance and efficiency. The S4 blend, 10 LPM of NH3 and 10 LPM of H2, with a higher hydrogen content, was found to significantly enhance BTE across all engine brake powers compared to conventional diesel fuel. A notable increase in BTE with a climb on the brake power was observed, suggesting superior fuel energy utilization due to the blend's high-energy content. An inverse relationship was established between BTE and BSEC, where diesel demonstrated higher BSEC, indicative of greater thermal loss and inefficiency. Combustion analysis revealed a reduction in heat release rate for ammonia blends, this eventually compensated by hydrogen addition by optimizing autoignition and accelerating combustion. Emission studies highlighted a uniform increase in nitrogen oxides for all blends; however, the combination of hydrogen with ammonia was shown to mitigate NOx formation by lowering flame temperatures. Additionally, vibrational analysis demonstrated that ammonia and hydrogen blends reduce engine vibration, especially at higher loads, and contribute to decreased combustion and exhaust noise.

SUSTAINABLE PERFORMANCE: ENHANCING CI ENGINES WITH GREEN-SYNTHESIZED NANOPARTICLES AND BIODIESEL

This study investigates the potential of green-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) doped with a 20% biodiesel blend to enhance the performance and emissions characteristics of a compression ignition (CI) engine. The green synthesis of NPs offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods, while the addition of biodiesel provides a renewable fuel source. Experimental trials were conducted using various concentrations of NP-doped biodiesel blends in a CI engine. Performance parameters such as brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) were measured. Additionally, emissions profiles, including smoke intensity, carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and unburned hydrocarbons (HC), were analyzed. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of NP-doped biodiesel blends led to significant improvements in engine performance. A reduction in BSFC and an increase in BTE were observed, indicating enhanced fuel efficiency. Furthermore, the NP-doped blends contributed to a substantial decrease in smoke, NOx and other harmful emissions, suggesting a positive environmental impact. This research highlights the promising potential of green-synthesized NPs and biodiesel blends as a sustainable and efficient fuel alternative for CI engines.

Performance and Emission Analysis of Ethanol-Petrol Blends in Single-Cylinder Engines: A Sustainability Perspective

This study investigates the blending of ethanol and petrol in the Indian subcontinent, addressing the urgent need for sustainable fuel alternatives amid rising energy demands and environmental concerns. Ethanol, as a renewable biofuel, presents a viable option for enhancing the efficiency of internal combustion engines while reducing harmful emissions. Given the significant air pollution issues prevalent in urban areas of India, optimizing fuel blends can substantially improve engine performance and contribute to cleaner air. The primary objectives of this research include analyzing the impact of different ethanol-petrol blends on the performance of a single-cylinder petrol engine, assessing key performance metrics such as brake power, Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP), Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP), and Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTHE). Emission analysis was conducted to measure hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), oxygen (O₂), and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) across various blends, quantifying the environmental impact of each. Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) was employed to rank the fuel blends based on their performance and emissions, helping identify the most effective blend for optimal engine operation. Additionally, the sustainability of ethanol blending as an alternative fuel solution in the Indian automotive sector was assessed. The study recorded key performance indicators and emissions using standardized techniques, with GRA calculating Grey relational coefficients to measure the degree of similarity between observed data and desired outcomes. This approach facilitated the ranking of blends, ultimately identifying the optimal ethanol-petrol blend. The findings revealed significant variations in both performance and emissions across different blends, indicating that ethanol blending holds substantial promise as a sustainable solution for the Indian automotive sector. These insights align with recent studies on the benefits of biofuels in enhancing engine performance and reducing emissions, providing valuable guidance for optimizing ethanol-petrol blends to improve sustainability in energy consumption.

A Review on Investigation of Petrol and Ethanol Blend as fuel on Performance of Spark Ignition Engine

Abstract: Finding substitute fuels has been more popular in recent years as a response to escalating pollution levels and fuel shortages. The goal of this research is to find the ideal gasoline to ethanol ratio that will maximize engine performance and reduce emissions in spark ignition engines. In order to analyse the performance of different blending ratios, the research looks at metrics such carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, brake power (BP), brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and brake thermal efficiency (BTE). Blends of gasoline and ethanol with a 15% ethanol content greatly increase engine thermal efficiency at higher engine speeds. E12 mixes of gasoline and ethanol boost engine braking power while lowering CO emissions and breakspecific fuel usage. Blends of gasoline with ten to fifteen percent ethanol present a possible substitute.

Study on the engine characteristics (CI) of using pumpkin-maize-blended biodiesel mixed with additive (diethyl ether)

This paper focused on the engine characteristics of a diesel engine fuelled using ternary blends. Initially, pumpkin and maize biodiesel were mixed in a volume ratio of 50:50. With a constant 0.5% diethyl ether (DEE) content, the binary combination of pumpkin and maize biodiesel was mixed with diesel at proportions of 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, and 50:50 by volume. The prepared ternary mixtures were evaluated at varying engine loads to improve engine performance. Compared to diesel, the tested ternary blends had a reduced brake thermal efficiency (BTE). However, up to a 30% blending ratio, the BTE demonstrated by ternary blends was within the range of less than 0.5% concerning diesel fuel. The ternary blends' BSFC declined as the binary biodiesel mix increased. Diesel has a brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of 1.4%, 2.2%, and 3.4% lower than the ternary blends of 10%, 20%, and 30%. The decrease in the heat release rate of the ternary mixes meant that emitted less CO and NOx than diesel. In contrast, ternary blends exhibited an increasing trend in smoke and HC emissions because of the rise in incomplete combustion that occurs as biodiesel content rises. Therefore, with appropriate engine modifications, the pumpkin and maize binary biodiesel blend can replace diesel by up to 30%. KEY WORDS: Biodiesels, Binary blend, DEE, Ternary blend, Efficiency Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(4), 1145-1161. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i4.26

Experimental investigation on the effect of diesel-ethanol blends for a constant-speed diesel engine

ABSTRACT Keeping the need for energy security and the world’s transition to a thriving low-carbon economy in mind, the research, on the feasibility of diesel ethanol blends, has gained momentum. The present work is related to comparing the performance and emission characteristics of pure diesel [D100] with 4 diesel-ethanol blends [D90E10, D85E15, D80E20 and D75E25]. The single-cylinder 4-stroke un-modified diesel engine running at constant 1500 rpm was used for experimentation which ran at different loads. Experimental results showed that with the addition of ethanol in blends, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) reduced while brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) increased. The addition of ethanol shortened the combustion duration. Hence, D75E25 showed a rapid rise in combustion pressure and heat release rate (HRR). As the concentration of ethanol increases in blends, the oxide of nitrogen (NOx) is reduced and carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon (HC) are increased. Thus, D75E5 was good blend producing less NOx with the penalty of fuel consumption on an unmodified diesel engine. In the long run, the effect of blends on the engine should be checked to make ethanol a feasible fuel for diesel engines. Abbreviations: CA: Crank Angle; ATDC: After Top Dead Centre; BMEP: Brake Mean Effective Pressure; BSFC: Brake Specific Fuel Consumption; BTE: Brake Thermal Efficiency; BTDC: Before Top Dead Centre; CO: Carbon Monoxide; COV: Coefficient of Variation; D100: 100% Diesel + 0% Ethanol, Pure petroleum diesel; D90E10: 90% Diesel + 10% Ethanol; D85E15: 85% Diesel + 15% Ethanol; D80E20: 80% Diesel + 20% Ethanol; D75E25: 75% Diesel + 25% Ethanol; HC: Hydrocarbon; IMEP: Indicated Mean Effective Pressure; LHV: Lower Heating Value; NOx: Nitric Oxide.

The Impact of Utilizing Waste Sunflower Oil as a Biodiesel Blend on Four-Stroke Engine Performance and Emissions

The blending of biodiesel with petroleum diesel attracts much attention due to its high potential in reducing emissions. In this work, waste sunflower oil was converted to biodiesel by the trans-esterification method, and it was blended with petroleum diesel in three ratios (10, 30, and 50%). The impact of using these blended fuels in a four-stroke engine on engine performance and exhaust emissions at three engine loads (2, 4, and 6 N.m) was investigated and compared with the use of petroleum diesel and biodiesel. The engine performance was evaluated by determining the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), engine effective power (Ne), brake-specific energy consumption (BSEC), brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and noise intensity. The evaluation of emissions from the engine exhaust was carried out by measuring the levels of carbon oxides (CO and CO2), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2), and particulate matter (PM). The results show that blending diesel with up to 30% biodiesel can reduce CO, HC, and PM emissions by 29.6 ± 1%, 26.0 ± 4%, and 31.0 ± 3%, respectively. However, this decrease is associated with increasing CO2 and NOx emissions by 18.5 ± 2.5% and 29.0 ± 6%, respectively. In addition, the engine showed acceptable performance when using up to 30% biodiesel, where the increase in fuel consumption was limited to 5.8 ± 0.3%. In addition, the engine’s effective power increased with the blending ratio of 10% by 2.0 ± 0.6%, but then decreased with the blending ratio of 30% by only 2.0 ± 0.6%. The noise intensity was also decreased by 2.4%, while BSEC and BTE were reduced by only 2.9 ± 0.9% and 3.5 ± 1%, respectively. The results of this work provide deep insights regarding the utilization of waste sunflower oil as biodiesel to be blended with petroleum diesel, which is a considerable novel approach in the energy and environmental sectors.

Experimental investigation on in-cylinder working process and thermal efficiency of ammonia/diesel low-carbon engine with pre-injection strategy

Ammonia, as a zero carbon and sustainable fuel, combined with traditional diesel fuel can provide a promising solution for reducing the engine environmental impact. However, ammonia/diesel dual-fuel (ADDF) engine has the significant drawback of low combustion efficiency and poor combustion stability at low loads, which seriously hinders its development. Therefore, this study explored the potential of pre-injection strategy in improving the performance of ADDF engine, comprehensively evaluating the effects of four pre-injection parameters (main injection timing (MIT), pre-injection timing (PIT), pre-injection quantity (PIQ), and diesel injection pressure (DIT)) on in-cylinder combustion process, incomplete combustion emissions, and energy efficiency. The results indicate that MIT has the most significant impact on combustion process. Advancing MIT can significantly increase in-cylinder combustion pressure and reduce CO, HC and unburned NH3 emissions. At MIT = -12 °CA ATDC, the highest brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of 32.3 % is obtained, while simultaneously generating high combustion noise. The advance of PIT has adverse effects on combustion stability. When PIT is advanced from −24 °CA ATDC to −36 °CA ATDC, COVIMEP increases from 2.61 % to 4.44 %, unburned NH3 emission increases by 23.5 %, and the BTE of ADDF engine decreases. Adjusting the PIQ and DIP can improve the reactivity distribution of fuel and reduce incomplete combustion emissions. However, the decrease in main injection quantity would increase the cycle fluctuation. At low loads, shortening the pre-main injection interval and increasing PIQ and DIP can enable the engine to achieve higher BTE while reducing pollutant emissions. This study elucidates in detail the influence of four pre-injection parameters on the operation characteristics of ADDF engine. It can offer insights and practical references for expanding the operating range of ammonia fuel engine.

Screening nano additives for favorable NOx/smoke emissions trade-off in a CRDI diesel engine fueled by industry leather waste fat biodiesel blend

The depletion of petroleum reserves and increasing environmental concerns prompted significant research into alternative fuels. This work, biodiesel, is extracted from the byproduct of industrial leather waste fat to generate beneficial energy.The main objective of this study is to enhance common rail direct injection (CRDI) diesel engine outcome characteristics by substituting industrial leather waste fat biodiesel (ILWFB) with the mixing of aluminium nitrate (Al (NO3)3) nanoparticles and graphene oxide nanoplates (GONPS) in the proportion of 50 ppm (parts per million) as catalysts to enhance ignition process. This research found that with the mixing of Al (NO3)3 nanoparticles and GONPS 50 ppm into the ILWFB blend, the in-cylinder pressure increased by 0.463% and 1.5%, and the heat release rate (HRR) improved by 4.19% and 12.04% than diesel and ILWFB blend at maximum load circumstances. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) increased by 3.1% and 5.27%, and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) decreased by 3.57% and 7.14% in D50ILWFB50+Al (NO3)3 50 ppm blend and D50ILWFB50+GONPS 50 ppm blend related to diesel fuel. The carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), and smoke emissions were reduced by 26.84%, 13.11%, and 5.75% in D50ILWFB50+Al (NO3)3 50 ppm blend and 38.94%, 21.31%, and 9.12% decreased in D50ILWFB50+GONPS 50 ppm blend than diesel fuel. Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions marginally increased by 3.66%, 5.42%, and 8.94% in ILWFB blend, D50ILWFB50+Al (NO3)3, and D50ILWFB50+GONPSrelated to pure diesel at peak load conditions. This work concluded that the nano additives effectively enhanced BTE and decreased BSFC, CO, HC, and smoke emissions in diesel engine applications.

Water-in-Biodiesel Emulsion with Hydroxy (HHO) Gas Fuel Enrichment for Single-Cylinder Diesel Engine Application

The rising issue of the depletion of fossil fuels opened a new pathway to seek alternative fuels to fulfil World Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The application of high-blending biodiesel is possible however, it causes the diesel engine to perform poorly due to high viscosity, high fuel consumption, and increased NOx emission. To comply with the strict regulation, the idea of combining alternative fuels of high blending biodiesel, water-in-biodiesel emulsion, and hydrogen is seen as possible to solve the issue of each alternative fuel. Therefore, this study focused on the effect of high blending of biodiesel, water-in-biodiesel emulsion with hydroxy (HHO) enrichment in single-cylinder diesel engines on engine performance and exhaust emission. The fuel tested for this study are B10, B50, and an emulsion of B50 with the addition of HHO known as B50H and tested on engine speeds of 2400rpm under various loading conditions of 1kW, 2kW, 3kW, and 4kW. The result showed the B50H showed improvement in Fuel Consumption (FC) by 4%, 5% for Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE), and reduced Nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 23% compared to B10 fuel. Thus, the combination of high blending of biodiesel, water-in-biodiesel emulsion, and HHO gas successfully improved diesel engine performance and reduced harmful exhaust emissions to promote clean and renewable energy, without depending on current diesel fuel.

Design and performance analysis of hybrid electric class 8 heavy-duty regional-haul trucks with a micro-pilot natural gas engine in real-world highway driving conditions

Diesel-fueled heavy-duty (HD) trucks are a key component of global freight transport, but consume 25% of the transportation industry's energy and emitting substantial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Utilizing low-carbon fuels like natural gas (NG), combined with hybridization, presents an excellent opportunity for reducing GHG emissions and fuel consumption. Micro-pilot dual fuel diesel/NG engines offer high engine brake thermal efficiency (BTE) with an efficient three-way catalyst (TWC) to limit pollutant emissions like CO2 without the need for costly exhaust aftertreatment systems. This engine is particularly well-suited for hybridization, as it features high-efficiency under stable, mid-, and high-load conditions, but with reduced performance at low loads. This paper validates two conventional baseline models (X15 Cummins diesel engine and micro-pilot NG engine) based on a tested class 8 regional-haul truck on highway. The study investigates the combined effect of low-carbon fuels and hybridization on improving the fuel economy and GHG emissions of class 8 regional-haul trucks. This involves designing pre-transmission parallel and plug-in hybrid configurations with downsized 6.7-liter micro-pilot NG engines. The cargo load and performance requirements are maintained equivalent to the conventional diesel baseline. Results show comparable fuel economy and engine BTE between conventional diesel baseline and NG models on highways with full cargo load. The parallel and series plug-in hybrid NG designs exhibit fuel economy improvements of 2.9% and 26%, respectively, compared to the micro-pilot NG over highway with full cargo load. In the same conditions, the CO2 emissions reductions for parallel and series plug-in hybrid NG designs are 15% and 51%, respectively, relative to the conventional diesel baseline. In addition, this article provides a detailed comparison and analysis of non-plug-in and plug-in hybrids based on component energy losses and internal combustion engine (ICE) operating points.

Performance enhancement of diesel engine using Karanja oil methyl ester as a fuel blend with diesel by variable injector nozzle hole

Diesel engines may run on biodiesel, a sustainable fuel that can be made from a variety of feedstocks using various alcohols and catalysts. The type of alcohol has a direct impact on the biodiesel’s fuel qualities. Variations in fuel qualities can lead to variations in diesel engine performance, combustion, and injection characteristics. Using blends of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% with Karanja oil and regular diesel fuel separately, experimental tests were conducted to assess the performance and emissions of a direct injection, water-cooled Kirloskar diesel engine at 1500 rpm with variable load. The 3-hole and 5-hole fuel injectors are the subjects of this investigation. Because Karanja methyl esters (KME) have a lower calorific value than diesel, their value increases with the proportion of KME in the mix. For a 20% blend, this means that brake-specific fuel consumption increases. As the amount of KME in the gasoline increases, the brake thermal efficiency falls. At a 20% mix, Brake thermal efficiency is almost identical to diesel fuel. For all blends, CO and HC emissions rise with load and fall with the fraction of KME in the mix. For every combination of KME, the density of smoke rises as the load increases. Smoke density falls as the fraction of mixes containing KME rises. It has been observed that when nozzle holes are increased from three to five, brake thermal efficiency rises with load. When comparing a 5-hole to a 3-hole with load, the Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) will fall. Nozzles have an influence on emissions in that as nozzle holes grow, so do CO, HC, and smoke opacity. According to the findings, a 20% KME blend for a 5-hole fuel injector nozzle is a good substitute for diesel.

Investigations on the effects of injection parameters and EGR in a glow plug assisted methanol fueled Hot Surface Ignition (HSI) Engine

Methanol can be produced from renewable sources and is also clean burning. Hence it is an ideal alternative fuel for transportation applications. However, its low cetane number prevents its direct application in compression ignition (CI) engines. One of the promising but not widely explored methods is to use a hot surface for its ignition in CI engines at normal compression ratios. In this work a turbocharged automotive common rail diesel engine was modified to operate in the hot surface ignition (HSI) mode with methanol as the sole fuel with 3% by mass of lubricity and corrosion inhibiting additive. Initially, a single pulse injection (SPI) strategy was employed at different injection timings at a BMEP of 8 bar. Subsequently a double pulse injection (DPI) strategy was employed and the effects of gap between the injection pulses, injection timing and injection pulse width share among the two pulses were studied. The HSI mode of neat methanol performed with comparable brake thermal efficiency (BTE), reduced combustion rates and hence low NOx emission levels with respect to diesel operation when the DPI mode was employed with almost equal pulse width share. Engine performance was better at rail pressures of around 800 bar. Hot EGR of up to 8% was beneficial as it reduced the engine-out NOx without affecting the BTE. The engine was operated at different BMEPs in the range of 4–10 bar and compared with the baseline diesel operation. The BTE was similar to the baseline diesel engine at all loads. Engine-out NOx was lower than diesel operation by 23.6%–61.5% while near zero smoke levels and similar CO and THC emissions (after the DOC) were observed. Though slipped methanol and formaldehyde were the significant unregulated emissions, they were reduced to very low levels after the DOC.

Experimental Studies on the Jatropha-Biogas Dual Fuel Engine

In the current study, experiments were conducted on a compression ignition engine using neat vegetable oil (Jatropha oil) and biogas in the dual-fuel mode. A mono-cylinder, 4-stroke, direct injection, air-cooled diesel engine producing an output power of 4.4 kW at 1500 rpm was used to carry out the experiment. This engine was modified to operate in a dual fuel mode at 100% and 50% load conditions. From the result, the jatropha oil operation resulted in reduced thermal efficiency and increased smoke and hydrocarbon emissions. Brake thermal efficiency has been observed as 31% and 27% with neat-diesel fuel and jatropha oil respectively. While operating the engine in dual fuel mode, the thermal efficiency was observed to be inferior and increase in hydrocarbon emission, with a considerable reduction in smoke compared with single fuel operation. The key reason for lower thermal efficiency during dual fuel operation is mainly due to the presence of carbon dioxide in primary biogas fuel. Overall, it was concluded that adopting the dual fuel mode with vegetable oil as pilot fuel will result in reduced emissions and improvement in efficiency at medium and high outputs.