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Experimental investigation of 2-EHN effects upon CI engine attributes fuelled with used cooking oil-based hybrid microemulsion biofuel

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Abstract

In recent years, disposal of used cooking oil has drawn everyone attention due to its detrimental and hazardous effects upon health and environment. However, used cooking oil has great potential to be a fuel supplement after its appropriate processing for biofuel formulation, globally. Attributed to the various advantages of microemulsion-based hybrid biofuel (MHBF) technique, the present experimental investigation has focused to investigate the effects of used cooking oil (UCO)-based hybrid microemulsion biofuel (UCOMHBF), added with 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN) (cetane enhancer) upon performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a 4-stroke single-cylinder CI engine. 2-EHN was added in UCOMHBF (UCO (55%) (vol.%), anhydrous ethanol (E) (28%) (vol.%) and 2-butanol (B) (17%)) in proportion of 500 (UCOMHBF500), 1000 (UCOMHBF1000) and 1500 (UCOMHBF1500) ppm, respectively. The brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of CI engine test rig for UCOMHBF1000 was found 8% lower than UCOMHBF and B100 and 2.5% higher for UCOMHBF1500, respectively. Combustion delay was observed with MHBFs w.r.t petrodiesel, but improved combustion was observed with up to 1000 ppm addition of 2-EHN in UCOMHBF at full load condition. Addition of 1500 ppm 2-EHN in UCOMHBF showed uncontrolled flame propagation at the end of the compression stroke which resulted in incomplete combustion during power stroke. 2-EHN addition in UCOMHBF has also lowered the mean of nitrogen (NOx) in the range of 2.06–33.33% w.r.t petrodiesel. Hence, it can be concluded that UCOMHBF1000 has shown the superior characteristics from all other UCOMHBFs.

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Abbreviations

UCO:

Used cooking oil

2-EHN:

2-Ethylhexyl nitrate

CI:

Compression ignition

FFA:

Free fatty acids

FAME:

Fatty acid methyl ester

FAC:

Fatty acid composition

GCV:

Gross calorific value

HLB:

Hydrophilic lipophilic balance

B100:

Biodiesel

B20:

20% Blend of biodiesel in petrodiesel

MHBF:

Microemulsion based hybrid biofuel

UCOMHBF:

Used cooking oil-based hybrid microemulsion biofuel

UCOMHBF500:

Used cooking oil-based hybrid microemulsion biofuel with 500 ppm addition of 2-EHN

UCOMHBF1000:

Used cooking oil-based hybrid microemulsion biofuel with 1000 ppm addition of 2-EHN

CN:

Cetane number

BTE:

Brake thermal efficiency

BSFC:

Brake-specific fuel consumption

CP:

Peak cylinder pressure

NHRR:

Net heat release rate

ROPR:

Rate of pressure rise

MFFB:

Mass fraction fuel burned

TDC:

Top dead center

bTDC:

Before top dead center

aTDC:

After top dead center

CO:

Carbon monoxide

UHC:

Unburned hydrocarbon

NOx :

Oxides of nitrogen

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Acknowledgements

The author Himansh Kumar would like to thank MHRD, GOI, for teaching assistantship during PhD research work and SSS-NIBE Kapurthala, Punjab, for the platform of experimental works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

    H. Kumar

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India

    H. Kumar & P. Kumar

  3. Chemical Conversion Division, Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy, Kapurthala, Punjab, India

    H. Kumar & A. K. Sarma

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  1. H. Kumar
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Correspondence to H. Kumar.

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Editorial responsibility: Dai-Viet N. Vo.

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Kumar, H., Sarma, A.K. & Kumar, P. Experimental investigation of 2-EHN effects upon CI engine attributes fuelled with used cooking oil-based hybrid microemulsion biofuel. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 19, 11051–11068 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03751-y

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