Performance and Emission Analysis of Bioethanol Diethyl Ether Fuelled Compression Ignition Diesel Engines

Experimental investigations were carried out in a single cylinder, four stroke, air cooled direct injection (DI) diesel engine, fuelled with bioethanol diethyl ether blend, adopting the fumigation technique. Bioethanol produced by the fermentation of cooked rice blended with 25%, 50% and 75% of diethyl ether was used as an alternative fuel in this investigation. With the help of a fuel vaporiser and a microprocessor controlled injector, bioethanol was fumigated at 0.20, 0.40, 0.60 and 1.2 kg/h flow rate in the suction. The results of the combustion, performance and emissions of the engine, running with the bioethanol fumigation, were compared with those from the diesel fuelled operation. The results indicated that, at full load, the bioethanol fumigation exhibited an overall longer ignition delay of 2–3 CA for all the flow rates in comparison with diesel. Bioethanol fumigation at the flow rate of 0.48 kg/h gave a better performance and lower emissions than that of other flow rates. The maximum brake specific nitric oxide and smoke emissions were found to be lower, by about 24.2% and 25% in the bioethanol fumigation, compared to that of diesel operation at full load.