Effects of Various Alcohol Blends on Performance and Emissions of Small Compression Ignition Engine Fuelled with Diesel-20% Palm Oil Methyl Ester

Abstract

As a promising option of in improving alternative fuels, alcohol such as butanol, methanol, and ethanol can be used in diesel engine. However, there is lack of detailed investigation of the effects of variation addition of butanol, methanol, and ethanol with diesel-palm oil methyl ester (B20) on engine performance and emissions release. This study represents to fully evaluate the potential impact of addition butanol, methanol, and ethanol blended with B20 on engine performance and emissions released by single cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine at engine speeds of 2700, 3100, and 3500 rpm under load of 50%. The results of engine performance and emissions of 10ml ethanol, methanol and, butanol each blended with B20 are compared. Experimental results showed that the B20 + 10ml methanol has an advantage over diesel-biodiesel blend in Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) which reduces about 10.42% at every different engine speed. Besides, the B20 + 10ml methanol has reduced the emission of Nitrogen Oxide, Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, and Hydrocarbon by 27.84%, 14.28%, 5.19%, and 56.25%. In overall, the addition of 10ml methanol on B20 blend shows the most significance result for the engine performance and emissions at all test condition.