CO2 reduction in a common rail direct injection engine using the combined effect of low carbon biofuels, hydrogen and a post combustion carbon capture system

ABSTRACT

The transportation sector is a major emitter of carbon dioxide emissions. It is a known fact that carbon dioxide is the cause of global warming which has resulted in extreme weather conditions as well as climate change. In this study a combination of different methods of expediting the CO₂ emission from a single cylinder common rail direct injection (CRDI) engine has been explored. The methods include use of low carbon content biofuels (lemon peel oil (LPO) and camphor oil (CMO), inducing hydrogen in the intake manifold and zeolite based after-treatment system. Initial engine operation with the low carbon content biofuel blends resulted in reduced smoke and CO₂ emissions. Substitution of the blends with hydrogen further assisted in decrease in emission and improvement in engine efficiency. Later on in the exhaust pipe an after-treatment system containing zeolite was placed. The emissions were found to reduce even further and at full load condition the lowest CO₂ (39.7% reduction) and smoke (49% reduction) emissions were observed with LPO blend and hydrogen induction. The NO emission with hydrogen induction increases for both the blends, however, it was seen that the zeolite based treatment system was effective in reducing the emission as well. As compared to baseline diesel, the maximum reduction in NO emission was 23% at full load with LPO blend, hydrogen induction and after-treatment system.

KEYWORDS:

• Biofuels
• hydrogen
• CO₂ emission
• low carbon fuels
• CRDI engine

Disclosure statement

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

Nomenclature

Table

Additional information

Notes on contributors

V. Edwin Geo

Prof. Edwin Geo Varuvel has published papers in 70 international journals, 16 international conferences and 16 national conferences. He has eight years of research and 18 years of teaching experience in engineering level. He worked for Ecole des Mines de Nantes, France for about two years as a research engineer in the field of waste biofuels. He is a reviewer for more than 20 international journals. He has handled more than ten research projects in the field of alternate fuels for automobiles. He was awarded with €18,000 by AICTE India to develop an electronically controlled high performance RSO-hydrogen dual fuel engine. Currently, he is working on two sponsored research projects on system identification of Biodiesel-hydrogen dual fuel engine and liquid fuel production from waste oils under selective excellence.

S. Thiyagarajan

Dr. Thiyagarajan Subramanian is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Automobile Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology. He has published more than 50 papers in international journals. He is a reviewer of many reputed international journals. His research interest include Automotive Engines, CO2 sequestration, and emission control.

Ankit Sonthalia

Dr. Ankit Sonthalia is currently working as an Assistant Professor  in the Department of Automobile Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology. He has published more than 20 papers in international journals. He is reviewer of 4  international journals. He is a member of Society of Automobile Engineer. His research interests include waste to energy, emission control and hydrogen.

T. Prakash

Dr. T. Prakash is working as an Assistant professor in the department of Automobile engineering in SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai from 2009 to till date. He has a teaching experience of more than 15 yrs. He has published more than 5 research articles in reputed national and international journals. He has participated in 2 national conferences and 2 international conferences. Currently he is working on third regeneration bio fuels like algae for use in a compression ignition engine.

Sary Awad

Dr. Sary Awad is an Associate Professor in the Energy Systems end Environment engineering department at IMT-Atlantique. He completed his PhD in Energy and Process Engineering at l’Ecole des Mines de Nantes. He has published 21 papers in reputed international journals. His research domain includes Multi-variable optimization, alternative fuels production and characterization, combustion, engines, techno-economic assessments, pyrolysis, transesterification.

Fethi Aloui

Prof. Fethi Aloui has published 75 papers, 126 conference papers, 2 published conference proceedings (ISBN). He is co-organizer (each year since 2010) of the ASME-FEDSM “Symposium on Transport Phenomena in Energy Conversion from Clean and Sustainable Resources”. He is the Associate Editor of the “Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics” and “International Journal of Energy Research”.

Arivalagan Pugazhendhi

Dr. A. Pugazhendhi is the Head of Innovative Green Product Synthesis and Renewable Environment Development Research Group, which mainly focuses on Bioenergy production (Biohydrogen, biodiesel, bioethanol, biobutanol, biomethane etc.), nano-catalysts for biofuel production, synthesis and application of nanoparticles in diverse fields, production of biopolymers using wastes (such as PHA, PHB), Nanomaterials. He has published more than 50 papers in journals of international repute.