Evaluation of a compression ignition engine performance and emission characteristics using diesel-essential oil blends of high orange oil content.

In this research, waste stream essential oil such as orange oil is used as a diesel fuel partial replacement to be tested in a diesel engine. Like diesel fuel, orange oil does not contain any oxygen since it is constituted of limonene (a colourless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon) and has almost similar density. A 6-cylinder diesel engine is operated using various blends of orange and diesel fuel. The engine was operated with three different fuel blends: neat diesel, 74% diesel + 26% orange oil (D74O26) and 59% diesel + 41% orange oil (D59O41). All the orange oil blends produced nearly the same brake power from the engine experiment compared to neat diesel fuel. Furthermore, all orange oil blends emit less particulate matter, and the 'count mean diameter' of the emitted particles is also lower than base diesel. Based on the obtained results, these blends can be suggested to be used in a diesel engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]