Effect of Injection Pressure and Air–Fuel Ratio on the Self-Ignition Properties of 1-Butanol–Diesel Fuel Blends: Study Using a Constant-Volume Combustion Chamber

Abstract

One of the ways to reduce the negative impact of diesel engines on the natural environment is to reduce the smoke opacity and emissions of nitrogen oxides. For this purpose, suitably programmed fuel injection strategies and exhaust after-treatment systems can be used. Another way to reduce the toxicity of diesel exhaust is to use oxygenated fuels. This approach is particularly important, as it also allows a reduction of the use of fuels processed from crude oil. As a potential oxygen additive, 1-butanol can be used. Because of the work cycle of a diesel engine, it is particularly important to determine the self-ignition properties of diesel fuels with such alcohol additives. In this study, the self-ignition properties of 1-butanol−diesel fuel blends were investigated, with the 1-butanol percentage up to 25% by volume. The experiments were conducted in a constant-volume combustion chamber, enabling the determination of the impact of the fuel injection pressure (ranging from 80 to 140 MPa) and the air−fuel ratio (ranging from 35 to 95) on the ignition and combustion delay periods for the fuel samples. The maximum and average combustion chamber pressure rise rates were studied, and investigations of self-ignition properties were conducted at an ambient gas temperature of 650 °C. It was observed that with the increasing 1-butanol volume percentage, ignition and combustion delay increased linearly, and an increase in the fuel injection pressure and air−fuel ratio affected the length of these periods to different degrees. Regardless of the volume percentage of 1-butanol, the fuel injection pressure, unlike the air−fuel ratio, had only a slight effect on the maximum and average combustion chamber pressure rise rates.

Study on the Physicochemical Properties and Spray and Combustion Characteristics of 1-Butanol/Diesel Fuel Blends in a Constant-Volume Combustion Chamber

“…One of them is attributed to the ID, which may have effects on soot reduction for 1-butanol blends. Previous research work had conducted a systematically study on the ID of the 1-butanol blends, and the results indicated that ID increased linearly with the volume percentage of butanol in blends increasing. The longer ID implies that the butanol blends have more sufficient time to mix with the ambient air.…”

“…The experimental results showed that CO, NO X , and smoke emissions declined while the unburned hydrocarbon (UBHC) emissions rose by adding butanol into the blends. Kuszewski et al 27 investigated the selfignition characteristic of 1-butanol/diesel blends with the change of volume fraction of 1-butanol in a CVCC. Zhang et al 28 examined the effects of addition of 1-butanol in blends on the characteristics of spray combustion and soot emissions in a CVCC designed to mimic a heavy-duty diesel engine.…”

Densities and Viscosities of the Ternary Mixtures of Decalin (1) + n-Hexadecane (2) + 1-Butanol (3) and Corresponding Binary Systems

“…As a renewable substance, 1-butanol has properties such as low volatility and good oil solubility . It can shorten the ignition delay time and is applied to improve the performance of EHFs. , …”

“…26 It can shorten the ignition delay time 27 and is applied to improve the performance of EHFs. 28,29 The thermophysical properties of a fuel have a vital influence on its capabilities, in which density and viscosity are the two most important indexes. 30 The density is directly related to the volumetric energy, which can affect propulsion energy for aircrafts with limited fuel tank volume.…”

n-BUTANOL BASED EMULSIFIED DIESEL FUEL PRODUCTION

“…Furthermore, the fuels above are nearly undepleted raw material base -both mineral (natural gas, coal, oil shale) and organic (potato, beet, vegetable oils and their waste, algae, etc.) giving an advantage of using the above as raw material [2][3][4][5][6]. Availability of n-butanol production facilities makes the use of alcohols as additives in diesel fuels economically feasible.…”