An experimental study of the performance of a CI engine using ethanol as a fuel stabilizer

Abstract

Ethanol is a promising alternative fuel owing to its renewable bio-based origin and lower carbon content, as well as its ability to significantly reduce particle emissions in diesel engines. To evaluate the particulate matter emissions and performance of ethanol-diesel blends, researchers conducted experiments using mineral blends of 5% and 10% ethanol with 95% and 90% diesel fuel, respectively, as well as biodiesel blends with 25% biodiesel and 75% diesel fuel, and 100% diesel as a baseline. These blends were tested in a CI engine with a constant RPM of 1350 and variable loads from 0.0 to 1.6 at intervals of 0.2 kg-m. The study found that biodiesel blends reduced exhaust particulate emissions compared to diesel fuel, while the brake specific fuel consumption decreased with increasing brake power, and the brake thermal efficiency increased as brake power increased. The sound pressure level was measured from different locations of the engine, and the results indicated that increasing the percentage of biodiesel led to a decrease in the sound pressure level. Overall, the study concluded that ethanol-blend fuel improved both brake and engine thermal efficiency while reducing particulate matter emissions. The engine experiments evaluated engine brake torque, braking power, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, and particulate matter emissions under a variable load and a constant engine speed.