An experimental evaluation of cetane improving techniques for enhancing the performance and emission trade-off in diesel engine: A comparative study

Abstract

The polyunsaturated fatty acid methyl ester concentration in Prosopis juliflora biodiesel drops the cetane number and affects ignition quality. In this study, two fuel reformulation strategies, viz. partial hydrogenation and the inclusion of Di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP), are investigated for their ability to improve the combustion and performance of a diesel–biodiesel (B20) blend without compromising the emissions trade-off. An autoclave reactor utilizes partially hydrogenated juliflora biodiesel and gas chromatography to determine the altered fuel composition. The cetane improver is DTBP, which is mixed with B20 at a concentration of 2000 ppm. The filterability of the test fuel was evaluated using the Tamson filter blocking tendency apparatus. Engine parameters and emissions of the base diesel (D0), JB20, HJB20, and JB20 + DTBP test fuels were examined in a diesel engine. According to the FBT results, JB20 (1.36) and HJB20 (1.28) have good filterability, which is consistent with the ASTM standard (D2068-14). While comparing JB20 blend with modified JB20 fuels decreases NOx (up to 5.24%) and increases brake thermal efficiency (7.5%) at full load. Compared to diesel fuel, partially hydrogenated blend fuel emissions viz. HC, CO, and smoke were reduced by 15.24%, 7.76%, and 10.14%, respectively. Based on the above results, partial hydrogenation is more beneficial than the inclusion of DTBP in enhancing biodiesel's trade-off qualities.