Diesel engine combustion characteristics using nano-particles in biodiesel-diesel blends

The current experimental research study focuses on influence of CNT and Ag nano-particles on combustion parameters of diesel engine. The based fuel used is blend of biodiesel and diesel. Nano-particles were synthesized, characterized by TEM and XRD analysis and blended with biodiesel-diesel blends at a fraction of 40-120 ppm using ultrasonicator. Experimental results indicated that by adding nano additives to diesel-biodiesel blends, peak pressure of in-cylinder gases and the peak pressure rise rate increase in comparison with neat diesel fuel due to the shorter ignition delay resulting in earlier combustion duration and higher maximum cylinder pressure. It can be found that the heat release rate of the diffusion combustion phase is higher for biodiesel and biodiesel with nano additives when compared with that of neat diesel fuel due to the higher oxygen content of the blended fuels that have improved the diffusion combustion phase and decreased the combustion duration. Peak pressure was increased up to 15.38% in BD+CNT120 (Biodiesel+120 ppm Carbon Nano Tubes nano additive). The innovated fuel blend also increases peak pressure rise rate and heat release rate by up to 23.33% and 28% respectively. Ignition delay was decreased 8.98% in BD+CNT120 compared to neat diesel fuel.