The article analyses energy and environmental operating parameters of a compression ignition internal combustion engine running on HVO-biobutanol and castor oil fuel blends, also comparing them with parameters of an engine running on convection diesel. Since biobutanol is known for poor lubrication characteristics, it was mixed with 5% of castor oil. The obtained blend of biobutanol and castor oil was mixed with HVO at 2/95, 10/90, and 20/80 v/v and fed to the compression ignition internal combustion engine. The presented physicochemical indicators justified the use of the said fuel blends. Constant engine crankshaft speed of 2000 rpm and a variable load expressed as BMEP of 0.1–0.9 MPa was selected in the research. When using the biobutanol–castor oil additive (hereafter simply biobutanol additive) in HVO, an increase in the rate of heat release (ROHR) and the convergence of its value to that of to conventional diesel fuel was observed. A decrease in BTE values was also observed with increasing biobutanol concentration in the blend. Increasing concentration of biobutanol in blends led to an increase in BSFC both in terms of volume and mass; HC and NOx emissions grew as well, but smoke emissions declined, and no material changes in CO and CO2 emissions were observed.

In this paper, an analysis of the physico-chemical properties of diethyl ether/sunflower oil blends, as well as changes in emissions in work with AD3.152 diesel engine, were realized. The following properties of tested blends have been examined in detail: density (ρ) at 15 °C; kinematic viscosity (v) at 40 °C; cold filter plugging point (CFPP); lower heating value (LHV); flash point (FP); and surface tension (ϭ). In this research, different blends of diethyl ether (DEE) with sunflower oil (SO) in ratios of 10:90, 20:80 and 30:70% by volume were chosen. It was confirmed that DEE impacts significantly on reducing of SO viscosity. Furthermore, the density, as well as the surface tension of tested blends, have been reduced significantly when DEE was blended with SO. In this way, DEE impacts on better atomization of the SO injected into the combustion chamber. It was confirmed that DEE addition improves the low-temperature properties of SO significantly, which indicates the possibility of also using such blends in the winter season. On the other hand, the flammable DEE additive significantly lowers the flash point of the tested blends, which requires compliance with the transport safety rules applicable to gasoline. An engine tests carried out in condition of its partial load i.e., for 80 and 120 Nm, showed that combustion process of DEE/SO blends is more and more similar to the combustion of diesel fuel when adequately higher content of DEE is blended with SO. In particular, it was confirmed that the highest smoke concentration was observed for the engine operated with SO. However, 30% addition of DEE to SO brings this smokiness significantly closer to the value typical for the engine operated with diesel fuel. Additionally, concentration of unburned hydrocarbons (THC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are comparable for diesel fuel and DEE/SO blends.

Physico-chemical properties of diethyl ether/linseed oil (DEE/LO) fuel blends were empirically tested in this article for the first time. In particular, kinematic viscosity (ν), density (ρ), lower heating value (LHV), cold filter plugging point (CFPP) and surface tension (σ) were examined. For this research diethyl ether (DEE) was blended with linseed oil (LO) in volumetric ratios of 10%, 20% and 30%. Obtained results were compared with literature data of diethyl ether/rapeseed oil (DEE/RO) fuel blends get in previous research in such a way looking on differences also between oil types. It was found that DEE impacts significantly on the reduction of plant oil viscosity, density and surface tension and improve low temperature properties of tested oils. In particular, the addition of 10% DEE to LO effectively reduces its kinematic viscosity by 53% and even by 82% for the blend containing 30% DEE. Tested ether reduces density and surface tension of LO up to 6% and 25% respectively for the blends containing 30% DEE. The measurements of the CFPP showed that DEE significantly improves the low temperature properties of LO. In the case of the blend containing 30% DEE the CFPP can be lowered up to −24 °C. For this reason DEE/LO blends seem to be valuable as a fuel for diesel engines in the coldest season of the year. Moreover, DEE/LO blends have been tested in the engine research. Based on results it can be stated that the engine operated with LO results in worse performance compared with regular diesel fuel (DF). However, it was found that these disadvantages could be reduced with DEE as a component of the fuel mixture. Addition of this ether to LO improves the quality of obtained fuel blends. For this reason, the efficiency of DEE/LO blend combustion process is similar for the engine fuelled with regular diesel fuel. In this research it was confirmed that the smoke opacity reaches the highest value for the engine fuelled with plant oils. However, addition of 20% DEE reduces this emission to the value comparable for the engine operated with diesel fuel.

In this paper, selected physicochemical properties such as kinematic viscosity (ν), density (ρ), lower heating value (LHV), cold filter plugging point (CFPP), miscibility, flash point (FP), coefficient of friction (μ), lubricity (WS1.4), surface tension (σ), and copper strip corrosion (CSC) of diethyl ether/rapeseed oil blends were experimentally determined. Diethyl ether (DEE) was blended with rapeseed oil (RO) in volumetric ratios of 10, 20, 30, and 40%. The values of the LHV, kinematic viscosity, surface tension, and density of the blends were lower than the values obtained for the tested rapeseed oil. Especially, it was found that DEE has significant influence on the rapeseed oil viscosity value. The addition of merely 10% DEE to rapeseed oil decreased its viscosity by 50%. It was shown that the lubricity of all tested blends is reduced, but not as significantly as viscosity. Also, we confirmed that tested blends do not promote the corrosion processes. What is more, it was found that the temperature of the CFPP decreased when DEE was added to RO and the miscibility of all tested fuel blends is excellent in a wide range of temperature changes. For this reason the results of our research suggest that DEE/RO blends seem to be usable for engines operated in the winter season. However, it should be confirmed in further engine research carried out in low temperature conditions. In this study the diesel smoke opacity (SO) was also measured in the condition of a free acceleration test according to requirements of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Regulation No. 24. Results of these tests demonstrate that the diesel smoke opacity is reduced even by 55% for DEE40 blend compared with RO.

This article presents results of experimental study of diesel, rapeseed oil and three different blends of 10%, 20% and 30% diethyl ether addition to rapeseed oil, tested on VW Golf vehicle on chassis dynamometer Mustang MD-1750. Fuel consumption and emission tests were conducted at different testing conditions: idling, 50 km/h, 90 km/h, as also IM-240 cycle. The analysis of obtained results have shown reduction of engine power by 6.2%–17.3% and increase of fuel consumption by 0.6%–15.5% (based on testing conditions) for all blends based on DEE addition compared to RO, demonstrating better perspectives for low level blends. Emission tests have shown decrease of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for all blends with DEE content in almost all testing conditions and also slight increase of carbon monoxides and carbon dioxides compared to rapeseed oil. Largest decrease of NOx was observed during 90 km/h and cycle IM-240 reaching almost 24% reduction for 20DEE and 30DEE in comparison to neat RO.