Renewable syngas and biodiesel dual fuel applications for enhanced engine performance and emission control

Abstract

The growing global need for renewable energy has highlighted the importance of exploring alternative fuels to address environmental and economic challenges. This study focused on the dual-fuel operation of a compression ignition (CI) engine using biodiesel blends (PME20 and SME20) and syngas derived from Sterculia foetida biomass to enhance engine performance and reduce emissions. The results demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of this dual-fuel approach. Findings revealed that dual-fuel operation improved brake thermal efficiency (BTE) by 2.8 % for SME20 +Syngas and 3.2 % for PME20 +Syngas compared with their respective single-fuel modes, with maximum BTE values reaching 31.12 % and 32.71 %. The syngas addition also reduced specific fuel consumption (SFC) by approximately 6.5 % in SME20 +Syngas, improving fuel economy. Emissions analysis showed that carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were reduced by up to 30 % and 25 %, respectively, while smoke opacity decreased by 10 % in PME20 +Syngas. However, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions saw a marginal increase of 1.6–2.1 % due to elevated combustion temperatures. Combustion analysis revealed that the ignition delay was shortened by 15.5 %, and the peak cylinder pressure increased by 4.3 % in SME20 +Syngas, indicating enhanced combustion intensity. These results underline the potential of Sterculia foetida biomass as a dual-fuel source, offering improved performance and emissions reduction. Further research should investigate the optimization of syngas composition and flow rates, advanced after-treatment solutions for NOx control, and scalability of the system. This study contributes to the advancement of renewable fuel technologies for compression ignition engines.