Performance and emission characteristics of a DI-CI engine operated with n-butanol/diesel blends

ABSTRACT

The fast depletion of fossil fuels is driving the research toward renewable fuels. Alcohols, which can be produced from agricultural wastes such as sugarcane bagasse and corn stalks, appear to be promising renewable fuels. Among the different alcohols, butanol which is higher chain alcohol is considered in this study. This study deals with the emission and performance characteristics of a direct injection (DI)–compression ignition (CI) engine operating with different butanol/diesel blends. Experiments were conducted with different butanol/diesel blends, with the butanol proportion in the blend varying from 0 to 50% percentage (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%-by volume designated as Bu00, Bu10, Bu20, Bu30, Bu40, and Bu50). The engine performance with different butanol/diesel blends was compared to the engine performance with pure diesel. The experimental results revealed that as the fraction of butanol in the blend is increased, the emissions of CO, soot, and NOx decreased, whereas the unburned hydrocarbons (UBHC) emissions increased. Similarly, brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of the engine slightly improved with increase in the butanol fraction in the blend compared with diesel operation.

KEYWORDS:

• Butanol-diesel blends
• CI engine
• emissions and performance

Additional information

Notes on contributors

K. Siva Prasad

K. Siva Prasad is a Ph.D. student at National Institute of Technology Warangal, India, under the supervision of  Prof. S. Srinivasa Rao and  Co-Supervision of  Dr. V.R.K. Raju.  He received B.Tech in Mechanical engineering from Intell Engineering College, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh in 2007 and M.Tech in Energy management form National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala in 2010. He is currently working on Alternative fuels and combustion.

S. Srinivasa Rao

S. Srinivasa Rao is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at National Institute of Technology Warangal, India. He received his B.Tech. from JNTU  College of Engineering Kakinada, India in 1984, M.Tech from JNTU  College of Engineering Anantapur, India in 1988 and his Ph.D. degree from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India in 2002. He has been teaching at National Institute of Technology Warangal, India since 1992. His research contributions are in the field of two-phase flow, CFD, Combustion, alternative fuels, Fuel cell, and Solar energy. He is currently working on Fuel cell combustion and two-phase flow.

V.R.K. Raju

V.R.K. Raju is a Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at National Institute of Technology Warangal, India. He received his B.E. from University College of Engineering Burla, India in 1997, M.Tech from Jadavpur University, India in 2000 and his Ph.D. degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India in 2011. He has been teaching at National Institute of Technology Warangal, India since 2012. His research contributions are in the field of Fluid Dynamics, Heat Transfer, CFD, Combustion, Microfluidics, and Solar drying. He is currently working on Microfluidics, Combustion and Solar drying.