Emission and Performance Evaluation of a Diesel Engine Using Addition of Ethanol to Diesel/Biodiesel Fuel Blend

Many countries have adopted the addition of biodiesel to diesel as a way of inserting renewable content into mineral fuel and making a contribution to the environment. The addition of ethanol to the diesel/biodiesel blend to increase the renewable content of the added fuel blend and reduce the percentage of biodiesel could be a strategysince the demand for biodiesel production is high, and this fuel has a high production cost when compared to ethanol. Thus, this study evaluated the performance and the content of NOx, CO and CO2 exhaust gases from a diesel engine fueled with blends of diesel/biodiesel/ethanol: pure B7, B7E3 (B7 with 3% ethanol) and B7E10 (B7 with 10% ethanol). Emissions of fuel blends were evaluated using the engine speed variation and tested at a speed of 1500 rpm under constant load (185 Nm). Assays were performed at engine speeds of 1000, 1100, 1250, 1500 and 1750 rpm and with loads of 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the maximum torque. Through the performance curves, the specific consumption and thermal efficiency were evaluated. The increase in speed and ethanol content in the diesel/biodiesel mixture increased approximately 5 to 7 and 1.4 times, respectively, in terms of the emission of exhaust gases. There was a 6% decrease in the maximum torque and power available at each speed with increasing ethanol content in the blend. However, in a vehicular application, this decrease would be perceived only at some points of the part-load regime, causing considerable reductions in thermal efficiency.

Automated summary

Many countries use biodiesel and ethanol as additives in diesel to increase renewable content and contribute to the environment. However, adding ethanol to the mixture results in increased emissions and reduced torque and power, leading to decreased thermal efficiency.