M.I. Arbab

Performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fueled by an optimum biodiesel–biodiesel blend

Biodiesel can be an effective renewable transportation fuel despite some limitations in properties. An experiment was conducted to improve the fuel properties of palm oil derived biodiesel by blending it with coconut oil and jatropha oil derived biodiesel. The MATLAB optimization tool was used to find the optimum blend ratio to achieve overall better fuel properties. The linear relationship among the fuel properties of these three oils was considered for MATLAB coding. The resultant optimum blend ratio and the equations of the MATLAB code were used to predict the fuel property values and compared with the experimental values of the optimum blends of fuel properties. A new biodiesel blend was developed which was an optimum blend of jatropha, palm and coconut biodiesel that demonstrated overall improved fuel properties compared to the individual biodiesels present in the blends. Engine performance and emissions were tested using a 20% blend of each of the biodiesels (jatropha, palm, coconut and the optimized biodiesel) with petroleum diesel. The blend of 20% optimized biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel showed the highest engine power at full load conditions. The emission characteristics of the optimized blend are also very much comparable and lower than petroleum diesel except hydrocarbons. However, when engine performance and emissions were considered together, the optimized blend was found to be the best fuel compared to other fuel blends including petroleum diesel.

Comparative study of gas-to-liquid fuel, B5 diesel and their blends with respect to fuel properties, engine performance and exhaust emissions

Gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel is regarded as a promising alternative diesel fuel. It can be used either directly as a diesel fuel or in blends with petroleum-derived diesel or biodiesel. This study investigated the fuel properties, engine performance and exhaust emissions of B5 diesel, GTL fuel and their blends. The main fuel properties of the blended fuels showed a linear variation with the fraction of GTL fuel in the blend. The density and viscosity of the blends decreased with the addition of GTL fuel, but the flash point, cetane number and calorific value increased. The engine performance test results showed an average increase in power of 1.15–5.18%, but a lower brake-specific fuel consumption (1.11–5.58%) for GTL fuel and its blends compared with B5 diesel alone. The emission analysis results showed that the GTL fuel and its blends had a slight reduction in NOx emissions (2.33–11.3%) and a significant reduction in CO (6.92–21.52%), hydrocarbon (8.62–31.76%) and smoke (12.2–48.88%) emissions compared with B5 diesel. These indicate the potential for the application of B5 diesel–GTL blends.

Influence of gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel in the combined blend of Jatropha biodiesel and diesel: an analysis of engine combustion–performance–emission parameters

This study reports the production of Jatropha biodiesel (JBD) and a comparative analysis of the fuel properties, engine performance and emission characteristics of blends of JBD (J20) and GTL fuel (G20) with diesel, including a combined blend of JBD, GTL and diesel (DJG20). The ternary blend was selected to combine the promising properties of the two alternative fuels. In this study, a four-cylinder compression ignition engine was used to perform tests at different speeds under constant torque. DJG20 and G20 showed the most promising properties among all tested fuels. In combustion analysis, the peaks of both in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate (HRR) of G20 were lower and occurred at later crank angles compared to those of diesel. The other two blends demonstrated higher peaks of both parameters, while DJG20 showed lower peaks than J20 in both cases. The peak locations of J20 and DJG20 were slightly higher than those of diesel. The engine performance results showed an average increase in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and lower fuel consumption (BSFC) for G20, whereas the other two blends exhibited decreases in BTE but increases in BSFC compared to diesel. The emission analysis results of all fuel blends showed lower CO, HC and smoke emissions than diesel. For NOx emissions, G20 showed a significantly decreased value, whereas the other two blends showed increased values compared to diesel. Compared to J20, DJG20 showed improvements in all performance–emission parameters.

Experimental Investigation of a Multicylinder Unmodified Diesel Engine Performance, Emission, and Heat Loss Characteristics Using Different Biodiesel Blends: Rollout of B10 in Malaysia

This paper deals with the performance and emission analysis of a multicylinder diesel engine using biodiesel along with an in-depth analysis of the engine heat losses in different subsystems followed by the energy balance of all the energy flows from the engine. Energy balance analysis allows the designer to appraise the internal energy variations of a thermodynamic system as a function of ‘‘energy flows” across the control volume as work or heat and also the enthalpies associated with the energy flows which are passing through these boundaries. Palm and coconut are the two most potential biodiesel feed stocks in this part of the world. The investigation was conducted in a four-cylinder diesel engine fuelled with 10% and 20% blends of palm and coconut biodiesels and compared with B5 at full load condition and in the speed range of 1000 to 4000 RPM. Among the all tested blends, palm blends seemed more promising in terms of engine performance, emission, and heat losses. The influence of heat losses on engine performance and emission has been discussed thoroughly in this paper.

Assessing Effects of Idling of a Diesel Engine Operated with Optimized Blend of Palm and Mustard Biodiesel

Palm is an edible feedstock which is immensely popular in Malaysia as an alternative fuel which can substitute diesel fuel. However, use of Palm biodiesel in diesel engine have a negative effect on food security, thus, in this study authors used Mustard biodiesel, which has poor fuel properties, with Palm biodiesel to produce an optimum blend. This blend will have better fuel properties compared to Mustard biodiesel and will help eliminate dependency of Palm biodiesel. To ensure that optimized blend achieves better fuel properties MATLAB optimization tool was used to find out the optimum blend ratio. Linear relationship among the fuel properties was considered for MATLAB coding. The resultant optimum blend is represented by PM. Optimum blend revealed improved fuel properties compared to mustard biodiesel. Fuel consumption and exhaust emission of diesel engine operated by the produced optimized blend blends at high idling conditions with and without a turbocharger installed, were evaluated. Optimized blend achieved lower CO, HC and NO X emission compared to Mustard biodiesel blends and also improved fuel consumption at idling conditions. When the engine was turbocharged it further decreased CO, HC and fuel consumption, but significantly increased NO X emission.