EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ETHANOL/WATER BLEND INJECTION ON EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF DIESEL ENGINES

Abstract

In the present study, a new technology controlled Ethanol/Water mix injection method is applied to a direct injection (DI) diesel engine to show effect on engine performance and emissions under steady operation. Ethanol/water mix is injected into the inlet manifold during inlet period. The experimental test matrix included six different fuels, namely Neat Diesel fuel and five secondary Ethanol/Water mix fuel with diesel fuel. The mixed fuels contain 0.55–2.79 by volume fraction of diesel fuel, corresponding to 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by volume of ethanol in the mixes. Tests were performed in a single-cylinder naturally aspirated, four stroke, water cooled, and direct-injection diesel engine at variable engine speed (600-1600 rpm) on full engine load condition by using six-test fuels. It has been found that the application of Ethanol/Water mix leads to a significant reduction in the more environment concerning emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) except increase at case pure ethanol, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon (UBHC) at case (EW50, EW75, Ethanol), and exhaust gas temperature. However, increase in carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (UBHC) at case (Water, EW25) and oxygen (O2) emission have been found after use of Ethanol/Water. The results revealed that the brake specific fuel composition (BSFC), volumetric efficiency (VE) of both Ethanol/Water and diesel fuels reduces with increasing blend ratio, with a brake thermal efficiency (BTE) increase for both fuels, and a brake power (BP) increase. This can be attributed to the oxygen content of ethanol when compared with Neat Diesel. Ethanol/water injected diesel engine is modeled by using DIESEL-RK simulation software model for same experimental operation conditions. The obtained results are compared with conventional diesel engine in terms of NOx, CO2 emissions, exhaust gas temperature, and performances. The simulation results agree with experimental data quite well. The results simulation show that Bosch smoke number, PM and summary emission of (PM and NOx) emissions increase after speed 1000 rpm with dual fuel water content decreasing, and the NO2 emission under the simulated test decreases remarkably. With fuel ethanol content decreasing, brake means effective pressure (BMEP) descends distinctly comparing to the Neat Diesel fuel.