The Combustion Characteristic of Fuel Additives with Diesel–Ethanol Fuel blends on Engine Performance 2019-32-0611

Reducing carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) is one of the most important drivers to promote biofuels. Fuel from biomass has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can gradually reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. However, fuel properties can differ significantly from standard diesel fuel and this will affect exhaust emissions and environmental pollution. Diesel – ethanol fuel blends development and specification are currently driven by the engine technology, existing fossil fuel specification and availability of feedstock. Thus, the aims of this study to investigate the effects of fuel additives with diesel–ethanol fuel blend under steady-state conditions. In the present study, the additives were palm diesel, n-butanol, ethyl acetate and di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP). The ratio of conventional diesel fuel to ethanol fuel to fuel additive are 80:15:5 by volume of fuel blends. The comparative studies on the effects of fuel additives in the engine performance and phase separation in diesel–ethanol blends. The effects of engine performance included exhaust gas emissions with different fuel additives on small diesel engine are also investigated under different engine conditions in order to considering the engine speed and engine load comparison with conventional diesel. The study found that all the additives are enhanced the stabilities in diesel–ethanol fuel blends and phase separation has not be found under the room temperature. The diesel–ethanol fuel blend with DTBP can improved the highest thermal efficiency with lower exhaust gas emission (e.g. carbon-monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and soot) compare with conventional diesel with another fuel additives. However, the break specific fuel consumption is higher (>4%) than conventional diesel which could be acceptable range. The results suggest that significant benefits can derive from the use of di-tert-butyl peroxide as fuel additive for diesel and ethanol fuel blends as the alternative fuel for compression ignition engine in terms of engine performance, exhaust gas emissions, after treatment system performance and environmental pollution in the near future.