An additional value for the disposed wastes: An experimental and RSM optimization study based on the enhancement of waste plastic oil/diesel fuel blend with optimum B2O3 nanoparticles for cleaner emissions

Abstract

In the current study, the ability of waste cable pyrolysis oil (WCPO) and boron oxide (B₂O₃) nanoparticles to improve diesel engine response was evaluated. Firstly, WCPO was produced and 20 % was determined as the most suitable mixture ratio for diesel engines. Then, different amounts (20, 40, and 60 ppm) of B₂O₃ were added to the fuel mixture containing 20 % WCPO/80 % diesel to strengthen the negative aspects of WCPO. The addition of 20 % WCPO reduced BTHE by an average of 7.93 % and with the positive effect of the addition of 20 ppm B₂O₃, this reduction was increased to an average of 0.83 %. Furthermore, the addition of B2O3 nanoparticles decreased CO and HC emissions, whereas the addition of 20 % WCPO enhanced them. HC decreased by 27.18 % with 20 ppm B₂O₃, after increasing by an average of 5.61 % with WCPO20 compared to diesel. Likewise, for CO, there was a 67.96 % increase with WCPO20 and a 5.92 % drop with 20 ppm B₂O₃. However, response surface methodology (RSM) optimization was also carried out to determine the ideal concentration of B₂O₃ because nanoparticles are expensive. In RSM optimization, the quantity of B₂O₃ (QoN) and engine load were modeled as variables, and brake thermal efficiency (BTHE), brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), nitrogen oxide (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were modeled as responses. According to the model, the optimum B₂O₃ amount was determined as 22 ppm at 1500 W load. Under these conditions, the best results for BTHE, BSFC, NO_x, CO, HC, and CO₂ are 24.5755 %, 387.533 g/kWh, 523.141 ppm, 0.0413 %, 23.7139 ppm, and 5.2072 % respectively. Moreover, the composite desirability value was within acceptable limits at 0.7156. In addition, the maximum difference between the RSM and the experimental results was 4.81 %, indicating that the RSM gave successful results in this study.