Performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel engine using waste avocado biodiesel with manganese-doped alumina nanoparticles

Abstract

Biodiesel is considered as an alternative for diesel as it is renewable and biodegradable. Various feedstocks are available for biodiesel production; however the compositions of each biodiesel vary, which affect the engine performance and emission characteristics. Studies have shown that fuel-borne nanoparticle additives with biodiesel are found to improve engine performance. In the present work, experimental investigations were conducted on a single-cylinder constant speed diesel engine using waste avocado biodiesel with manganese-doped alumina nanoparticles as a fuel additive. Four different biodiesel blends were used to assess the performance, combustion and emissions characteristics of the test engine. Diesel is used as the reference fuel. With diesel, 20% biodiesel was blended and 30, 60, 90 ppm nanoparticles were added to the biodiesel blend. The entire tests were conducted at the rated power of the engine at 4.5 kW. Results showed a 5.7% increase in brake thermal efficiency, a reduction of 12.1% in brake-specific fuel consumption and a reduction of carbon monoxide by 8.5%, unburnt hydrocarbons by 23.2%, oxides of nitrogen by 6.5% and smoke by 20.5% with the addition of nanoparticles with 90 ppm concentration in the B20 biodiesel blend.

KEYWORDS:

• Waste avocado biodiesel
• manganese-doped alumina nanoparticle
• engine performance
• emissions
• combustion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.