Optimization of engine behavior and exergy analysis of compression ignition engine fuelled with diesel vegetable oil diethyl ether blends at varying operating parameters

Abstract

The threat of fossil fuel depletion and augmented environmental pollution caused by diesel fleets can be curbed by adopting suitable fuel and engine modifications. Straight vegetable oils are used in the compression ignition engines as an alternative fuel because the vegetable oils are renewable and it can work with or without engine modifications. The vegetable oils are having the fuel properties similar to the mineral diesel but slightly higher viscosity. Moreover, the vegetable oils are renewable, biodegradable, nontoxic and lesser environmental pollution. The viscosity of the vegetable oils has been reduced by blending, preheating and trans-esterification. In the blending process the vegetable oils mixed with neat diesel and in preheating technique the vegetable oil heated to a certain level to achieve the required viscosity for fuel injection. The main barrier for biodiesel commercialization is its elevated cost for its production from edible or non-edible oils. Three different single cylinder four stroke water cooled direct injection compression ignition engines (1. Variable compression ratio multi-fuel engine, 2. Variable compression ratio with variable speed diesel engine and 3. Variable compression ratio with exhaust gas recirculation diesel engine) have been used for this research work. In this study the performance, combustion, emissions behavior, availability analysis and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based optimization have been conducted in the diesel engine fuelled with Aegle marmelos oil/diesel/diethyl ether blends at different engine operating parameters (Compression Ratio (CR), Injection Pressure (IP), Injection Timing (IT), Nozzle Holes (NH), Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), Charge Air/Inlet Temperature (CAT/CIT) and engine speed (N) and engine load (L)). newline