Search

In this research, gasoline engine performance and emission characteristics were studied when powered by diisopropyl ether-gasoline blends. The main objective of this study is to determine the behavior of diisopropyl ether-gasoline blends at various engine speeds and compression ratios. Further, the engine parameters were optimized using the response surface methodology. Enriched oxygen, higher latent heat of vaporization, and the readily volatile nature of the fuel enhanced the brake thermal efficiency and lowered the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide due to a better combustion rate. The developed model exhibited superior R2 values with a 0.957 desirability factor. The optimum parameters such as speed, compression ratio, and fuel-blend concentrations were found at 2250 rpm, 10:1, and D25 (75% gasoline and 25% diisopropyl ether), respectively. The responses for the optimal input parameters were brake thermal efficiency (31.53%), specific fuel consumption (0.2923 kg/kWh), carbon monoxide (0.14% by Vol.), hydrocarbons (31 ppm), and oxides of nitrogen (708 ppm). The predicted values for optimum engine parameters were validated with the experimental data, and their percentage of absolute error was found to be less than 5%. Thus, the study concludes that diisopropyl-ether gasoline blends can be used as an alternative fuel to enhance the brake thermal efficiency and reduce the pollution level, and the proposed numerical model can predict the responses with high accuracy. WOS:000862659300004 Q1

In this research, an ample attempt was made to make use of oil extracted from bergamot fruit peel, which can be regarded as a renewable energy source. A systematic experimental approach was adopted to evaluate the feasibility of bergamot peel oil (BGT) as a substitute for gasoline fuel in spark-ignition (SI) engine applications. The oil derived from the rinds of the bergamot fruit was blended in gasoline on a volume basis in the ratios of 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, and 40:60 and experimentally tested in a multi-point fuel injection (MPFI) installed SI engine. The fuel properties of the BGT and its blends were tested. Endoscopic visualization technique was used to analyze the spatial flame distribution on a crank angle basis for the gasoline and bergamot blends. Also, the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of bergamot-gasoline blends were evaluated, and the results were compared with sole gasoline at various engine brake powers. The endoscopic results revealed that bergamot-gasoline blends exhibited higher flame spread than sole gasoline. The performance study revealed that the brake thermal efficiency and specific fuel consumption exhibited by bergamot-gasoline blends were almost equivalent to that of sole gasoline. The mean in-cylinder pressure was marginally higher, and peak pressure crank angle degree was slightly advanced for bergamot-gasoline blends in comparison to that of gasoline fuel. With an increasing concentration of BGT in the blend, the hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission decreased at the expense of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Furthermore, BGT exhibits a research octane number (RON) of 80 and a calorific value comparable to that of gasoline, making it a potential candidate for SI engines. From the outcome of this study, it can be concluded that BGT could be a promising alternate biofuel for the partial replacement of gasoline in SI engines. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd 2-s2.0-85123890947