Experimental investigation of performance, emission and combustion characteristics of waste plastic pyrolysis oil blended with diethyl ether used as fuel for diesel engine

•Diethyl ether blended in different proportions with waste plastic oil used as fuel in diesel engine.•The addition of diethyl ether with waste plastic oil improves brake thermal efficiency.•Addition of diethyl ether increases the unburned hydrocarbon emission.•The NOx decreases with increase in percentage of diethyl ether.•Addition of diethyl ether shortens the ignition delay.

The oil obtained by pyrolysis of waste plastics can be used as an alternate fuel for diesel engine without making any modification to the engine. The WPPO (waste plastic pyrolysis oil) mixed with 5% and 10% DEE (diethyl ether) were used as fuels for single cylinder water cooled, DI engine and its performance, emission and combustion characteristics were found. The experimental results indicated the reduction in smoke levels with that of baseline waste plastic pyrolysis oil. The BTE (brake thermal efficiency) increased when compared to pure plastic pyrolysis oil and diesel. The pollutants such as CO (carbon monoxide) and NOx (nitrous oxide) were reduced in the blend. It was observed that addition of oxygenates had improved the combustion process and reduced the emissions. The investigation revealed that blending of DEE with plastic oil increases the Cetane rating which is superior to neat diesel.