Experimental investigation of diesel engine running on diesel fuel supplemented with CeO₂ metal nanoparticles

ABSTRACT

Many factors depend on improving the performance and reducing pollutant emissions caused by fossil fuels in commonly used diesel engines. Nanoparticles have recently become popular in improving combustion performance due to the rapid decrease in fuel reserves and greenhouse gas emissions exceeding critical limits. In this study, a highly oxidizing and reactive additive, cerium dioxide (CeO₂) nanoparticle, was added to diesel fuel in four different amounts (25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm). While the nanoparticle additive diminished the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), it developed the brake-thermal efficiency (BTE), in-cylinder pressure (ICP), and heat release rate (HRR). With the accumulation of 100 ppm CeO₂, BSFC decreased by 12.08%, while BTE, EGT, ICP, and HRR increased by 13.73%, 21.3%, 3.26%, and 9.52%, respectively, compared to diesel. The ignition delay and combustion time were reduced thanks to increased nanoparticle additive surface area/volume ratio. By the accumulation of 100 ppm CeO₂, the ignition delay decreased from 11.52°CA to 11.21°CA, and the combustion time from 82.08°CA to 79.92°CA compared to diesel. Finally, the supplement of CeO₂ caused a growth in nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions while reducing carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), and smoke emissions. Compared to diesel fuel, with 100 ppm CeO₂, NO_x emissions increased by 7.56%, and CO, HC, and smoke emissions declined by 13.26%, 15.49%, and 17.65%, respectively. Evaluation of the obtained results reveals the capability of using CeO₂ nanoparticles as a fuel additive for diesel fuel.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Clean combustion
• cerium dioxide nanoparticles
• diesel engine
• combustion
• emission reduction

Nomenclature

Abbreviations	=
BSFC	=	brake specific fuel consumption
BTE	=	brake thermal efficiency
CA	=	crank angle
CeO2	=	cerium dioxide
CO	=	carbon monoxide
EGT	=	exhaust gas temperature
HC	=	hydrocarbon
HRR	=	heat release rate
ICP	=	in-cylinder pressure
LHV	=	lower heating value
NOx	=	nitrogen oxide
Symbols	=
${\mathrm{b}}_{\mathrm{e}}$	=	brake specific fuel consumption
${\mathrm{B}}_{\mathrm{e}}$	=	fuel consumption
${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{e}}$	=	effective power
${\eta }_{\mathrm{e}}$	=	brake thermal efficiency
$\mathrm{d}{\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{n}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{t}}/\mathrm{d}\mathrm{t}$	=	net heat release rate
k	=	the ratio of specific heat
${\mathrm{h}}_{\mathrm{c}}$	=	heat transfer coefficient
${\mathrm{A}}_{\mathrm{g}}$	=	instantaneous combustion volume surface area depending on the crank angle
${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{g}}$	=	the temperature of the filling entering the cylinder
${\mathrm{T}}_w$	=	cylinder barrier temperature
n	=	revolution

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.