An investigation of the longevity wear assessment during the utilisation of biofuel-diesel blends in a diesel engine: a case study of crude palm and crude jatropha oil

Abstract

A longevity test was conducted to evaluate the impact of biofuels on engine degradation. Two varieties of blended fuel were generated by adding crude palm oil or crude jatropha oil to B5 diesel. The amounts of additional crude oil were 5, 10, and 15%. The testing period lasted 600 h, which is equivalent to 3–5 years of actual service. Before and after the test, the dimensions of engine elements were measured to determine the level of wear. Inspecting engine components revealed that combining crude bio-oils in proportions ranging from 0 to 15% increased engine wear. Components located in the combustion chamber exhibited greater wear when blended fuels were used, whereas fuel pump and injector components, which were not exposed to the heat, exhibited lower levels of wear. Even though engine wear was observed when mixed fuels were used, the vast majority of wear rates were incredibly low, ranging from 0.001 to 0.002 mm per 100 h. The only exception to this rule was the piston attrition rate, which was measured at 0.007 mm per 100 h. It can be concluded that engine wear is negligible when biofuel is blended with diesel in a ratio not exceeding 15% compared to B5 diesel.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 600-hour endurance experiments were conducted on diesel engines fueled with biofuel blends.

• Engine components and fuel supply system were examined for wear.

• The use of biofuel blended with B5 diesel with no more than 15%, in a diesel engine has no enduring effect.

• Biofuel blends have the same influence on engine wear as air dust and sulfur.

• Carbon neutralisation could become a more achievable goal if there is greater confidence in biofuel.

Keywords:

• Long-term test
• crude palm oil
• crude jatropha oil
• DI-diesel engines
• engine performance
• wear

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University and Center for Alternative Energy Research and Development, Khon Kaen University for providing the generous support and facilities to complete this research. Appreciation is also noted to all research members who contributed to this work as indicated in the affiliations. Finally, we appreciate the support and facilities provided by the Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Khon Kaen Campus.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data is available on request due to privacy/ethical restrictions.