Experimental study on spray characteristics, combustion stability, and emission performance of a CRDI diesel engine operated with biodiesel-ethanol blends

Biodiesel is a promising alternative fuel for diesel engines, but its high viscosity and low volatility have limitations in decreasing emissions. As a renewable alternative fuel with a high oxygen content, ethanol blended with biodiesel can decrease kinematic viscosity and improve fuel evaporation. In this study, the effects of the ethanol addition ratio on the spray, combustion, and emission performances of a diesel engine fuelled with biodiesel were investigated. The spray characteristics were measured using a high-speed camera and Malvern laser analysis, whereas the combustion and emission performances were tested on a turbocharged common rail direct injection (CRDI) diesel engine. The results show that adding ethanol to biodiesel enlarges the spray cone angle (SCA) and shortens spray tip penetration (STP). In addition, the curves of the size-volume distribution (SVD) of the atomized fuel droplets move toward a smaller diameter, and the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of the biodiesel-ethanol (BE) blends gradually decreases with increasing ethanol proportion. At low loads, the fuel injection strategy is multi-injection, and the peak cylinder pressures (PCPs) of BE blends are 0.77-1.96% higher than that of diesel at different ethanol blending ratios. However, the peak heat release rates (PHRRs) of BE blends are 9.3-11.5% higher than that of diesel owing to a faster combustion rate, longer main-injection duration, and more hydroxyl radicals generated in the pilot-injection stage. At medium-high loads, the injection strategy changes to single injection, the PCPs of BE blends are roughly equivalent to that of diesel, and the PHRRs of BE blends for different ethanol blending ratios are 9.76-11.91% lower than that of diesel. This is because of the lower diffusion combustion ratio, lower heat value, and change of injection duration corresponding to the variation in fuel properties. In addition, the results of the peak pressure rise rate and the cyclic variation indicate that the higher ethanol addition ratio increases the combustion noise and decreases the combustion stability. In terms of exhaust emissions, compared with biodiesel, with increasing ethanol blending ratio, the soot emissions for different BE blends decrease by 11.28-47.23%, the NOx emissions increase by 2.68-7.04%, and the HC emissions increase by 9.99-21.47%. Considering the engine performance comprehensively, a 20% ethanol blending ratio in biodiesel is recommended. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

The study found that adding ethanol to biodiesel improves spray characteristics and combustion performance in diesel engines. At low loads, peak cylinder pressures (PCPs) of BE blends are higher than diesel, while peak heat release rates (PHRRs) are also higher. However, at medium-high loads, PHRRs decrease and emissions decrease with increasing ethanol blending ratio.