Performance and exergy analysis of a diesel engine run on petrodiesel and biodiesel blends containing mixed CeO₂ and MoO₃ nanocatalyst

Abstract

In this research, the second law of thermodynamics was employed to analyze the exergy of a diesel engine fueled with diesel–biodiesel blends (B5 and B10) and hybrid nanocatalyst additives at three concentrations (30, 60 and 90 ppm), containing cerium oxide and molybdenum oxide on amide-functionalized multiwall carbon nano tubes (MWCNTs). The research engine was a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct-injection, air-cooled diesel engine. The exergy analysis was performed under full load conditions, at four engine speeds (1700, 2100, 2500 and 2900 rpm). The results revealed that by increasing the amount of nanocatalysts (CeO₂-MWCNTs and MoO₃-MWCNTs) in the fuel blends, the net exergy work rate of the diesel engine increased for both fuel blends (B5 and B10). The maximum net exergy work rate of the diesel engine was 7.71 (25.33% of total fuel exergy rate) for the B10 + 90ppm fuel blends at 2500 rpm. The exergy efficiency of the diesel engine ranged from 17.97% to 31% for B5 and 18.3% to 31.7% for B10 fuel blends, respectively. B10 containing 90 ppm nanocatalyst showed the highest exergy efficiency, at an engine speed of 1700 rpm. All fuel blends containing nanocatalyst emitted less carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and NO_x compared with nanocatalyst-free fuel blends.

Keywords:

• Exergy analysis
• nano cerium oxide (CeO2-MWCNT)
• nano molybdenum oxide (MoO3-MWCNT)
• diesel engine
• diesel–biodiesel fuel blend

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.