Combustion, performances, and emissions characteristics of diesel engine fuelled with diesel-aqueous zinc oxide nanofluid blends

Finding the new fuel blend as a green fuel by mixing aqueous zinc oxide nanofluid with diesel to improve diesel engine combustion and performance is the aim of this study. Varying the nanofliud dosing level in diesel from 30 cc to 60 cc, four blends are prepared and their properties are measured. Engine performance tests are conducted with the blends and the best blend is identified as D + 50ZN. The energetic nanoparticles present in the aqueous nanofluid possess large surface area per unit volume, it exhibits high catalytic activity with hydrocarbon causing oxidation of hydrocarbon and also micro explosion phenomena of aqueous nanofluid blend helps to evaporate the blend quickly as soon as the fuel injected from injector with high speed and some millimeters away from the normal spay limit leading to quick preparation of charge during the delay period. Hence, the fuel is completely burnt during the combustion period. Among all blends, The D + 50ZN showed a maximum improvement of about 5.38% in brake thermal efficiency and remarkable reduction in NOX, smoke, HC, and CO is observed as 12.97%, 22.08%, 24.54%, and 10.34%, respectively at maximum rated power output.

Automated summary

This study aims to find a new green fuel by mixing aqueous zinc oxide nanofluid with diesel to improve combustion and performance of diesel engines. Four different blends with varying dosing levels of the nanofluid in diesel were prepared and their properties were measured. Engine performance tests were conducted and the best blend, D + 50ZN, showed a maximum improvement of 5.38% in brake thermal efficiency and significant reduction in NOX, smoke, HC, and CO emissions.