Effect of Additive on Engine Performance with SVO and Biodiesel Blend as Fuel

Abstract

In this study, experiments are carried out to explore the impact of incorporating Diethyl Ether (DEE) as an additive into biodiesel-Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) blends derived from Pongamia seeds. Our objective was to assess the influences of additives on the engine performance characteristics of a CI engine. The different fuel blends such as BD80+SVO15+DEE5 (comprising 80% biodiesel, 15% SVO, and 5% DEE), BD80+SVO10+DEE10, BD60+SVO35+DEE5, and BD60+SVO30+DEE10 (consisting of 60% biodiesel, 30% SVO, and 10% DEE) are tested and compared these blends with conventional biodiesel and Straight Vegetable Oil blends (BD80+20% SVO and BD60+40%SVO). The inclusion of DEE as an additive had a noticeable impact on engine performance. It significantly improved brake power, reduced Brake-Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC), lowered Brake Specific Energy Consumption (BSEC), and increased Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE). Additionally, all the blends containing DEE as an additive demonstrated decreased emissions of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Carbon Monoxide (CO), with a slight increase in Hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. This research highlights the comparative suitability of DEE as an additive for enhancing the suitability of biodiesel-SVO blends as a fuel source for diesel engines.