Diesel Internal Combustion Engine Emissions Measurements for Methanol-Based and Ethanol-Based Biodiesel Blends

Abstract EN

There is a recent interest for the utilisation of renewable and alternative fuel, which is regulated by the European Union, that currently imposes a lower limit of 7% by volume of biodiesel fuel blend in diesel fuel.

The biodiesel physical characteristics, as well as the percentage of biodiesel blend in diesel fuel, affect the injector nozzle flow, the spray characteristics, the resulting air/fuel mixture, and subsequently the combustion quality and emissions, as well as the overall engine performance.

In the present study, two different types of pure biodiesel fuel, namely, methanol-based biodiesel and ethanol-based biodiesel, were produced in the laboratory of Frederick University by chemical processing of raw materials.

The two biodiesel fuels were used for blending pure diesel fuel at various percentages.

The blends were used for smoke emissions measurements of a diesel internal combustion engine at increasing engine speed and for increasing engine temperatures.

From the experimental investigations it was found that ethanol-based biodiesel blends result in higher smoke emissions than pure diesel fuel, while methanol-based biodiesel blends smoke emissions are lower compared to pure diesel fuel.