Comparison between PEE10 and PEE10-Bioethanol Blends on Performance and Emission Characteristics of a HSDI Diesel Engine

Abstract

Biofuels are an alternative fuel currently being developed to reduce the diesel-engine environmental impact. The release of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitric oxide (NO) and black smoke (BS) becomes an issue derived from diesel engines even in lean-mixture combustion causing an adverse effect to human health. The main aim of the research study is to present the use of biofuels, a mixture of diesel and 10 % palm oil ethyl ester (PEE10) and PEE10 blended with bioethanol from 5 to 20 %, compared with conventional diesel fuel. The biofuels were run on a high-speed direct injection diesel engine at a constant speed of 3,000 rpm under various loads. The use of PEE10 resulted in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) reduction by 2 % and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) incrementation by 8 %, but the exhaust emissions were lower than diesel, except for CO2 and NO. However, PEE10 engine performance was better and exhaust gas emissions were lower for both pollutants than diesel mixed with 10 % bioethanol. The investigation of PEE10 with increasing bioethanol revealed that the use of PEE10 blended with 5 % bioethanol (PEE10E5) can improve engine performance, while the BTE and BSFC were close to that of diesel, and exhaust emissions, especially CO2, NO and BS reduced. Moreover, BTE from PEE10E5 fueling increased by 2 % but BSFC was subtle increased, compared to PEE10. On the other hand, the increasing bioethanol from 10 to 20 % in PEE10 led to the more reduction in engine performance, but the engine pollutants were also continuously decreased. Specifically, the blend of PEE10 and 20 % bioethanol indicates that CO2, NO and BS were reduced by 10, 15 and 33 %, respectively, compared to diesel fuel. HIGHLIGHTS A mixture of diesel and 10 % palm oil ethyl ester (PEE10) has less exhaust emissions than diesel blended with 10 % palm oil methyl ester (PME10) PEE10 blended with 5 % bioethanol can improve engine performance, while the brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption are close to that of diesel and PME10 The increasing bioethanol from 10 to 20 % in PEE10 leads to the more reduction in engine performance, but the engine pollutants, especially carbon dioxide, nitric oxide and black smoke, are also continuously decreased GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT