Modeling of CI engine performance and emission parameters using artificial neural network powered by catalytic co-pyrolytic renewable fuel

Emission and performance parameters of a 4-stroke CI engine operated on a blend of catalytic co-pyrolysis oil with pure diesel, produced through Azadirachta indica seed, waste LDPE (low-density polyethylene), and aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) as a catalyst, are modelled in the current work using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). At 500°C temperature, the highest oil output obtained was 93.91 wt%. The produced liquid fuel possessed similar physical features to that of pure diesel, including density (794 kg/m³) and heating value (44.42 MJ/kg), but lower flash and fire points that would assist in a better and complete combustion of the fuel blend resulting in a better performance and combustion characteristics. Using inputs including brake mean effective pressure, load, brake power, and torque, a developed ANN model was applied to forecast the performance (Brake Thermal Efficiency and Brake Specific Fuel Consumption) along with emission characteristics (Smoke and NO_x). The Levenberg-Marquardt back-propagation training technique was applied for emissions and performance characteristics prediction having the best accuracy. Regression coefficients (R²) for predicting BTE, BSFC, NOx, and smoke were all very near to 1: 0.99801, 0.9983, 0.95753, and 0.97467. The study determines that the proposed alternative fuel could be utilized in blend with the pure diesel to in an unmodified diesel engine. It has also been found that artificial neural networks (ANN) could prove to be useful to model and forecast the performance or emissions of renewable fuels in diesel engines, with the potential for these fuels to be employed in transportation.