Reduction in Environmental Pollution by Marine Microalgae Based Biofuels Blended With Nanomaterials in Diesel Engines

The current respiratory health issues caused by toxic emissions of automobiles and industrial processes are clear indicators of poor quality of life in cities worldwide. This situation emphasizes the need for further research on the improvement of fuel focusessed on minimizing the direct impact on human health and avoiding the generation of long- or medium-term health problems caused by Particulate Matter (PM) emissions released through burning of fuels. The primary source of PM emissions is the internal combustion engines and industrial solid fuels. Certain biofuels, including those derived from Schizochytrium sp. green algae, produce chemical compounds that can serve as precursors to PM in its early stages. This study aims to assess the reduction in emissions achieved by using biodiesel derived from Schizochytrium sp. algae, both on its own and in combination with commercial-grade diesel. A comparative analysis is conducted between the results obtained from an existing mathematical model, which predicts the PM production from Schizochytrium sp. biofuels and their mixtures with commercial-grade diesel, and experimental data obtained under natural conditions in a laboratory engine. The engine operates at different rotational speeds for mixtures containing 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % biodiesel with a load below 25 % and an average load of 50 %.The findings reveal that the biofuels, specifically Schizochytrium sp. biodiesel, play an important role in reducing PM emissions. The emissions of particulate matter from a 20 % mixture of Schizochytrium sp. biodiesel are significantly lower compared to the 15 % and 10 % mixtures, based on the available data. However, it is worth noting that the 15 % mixture shows higher emissions at low loads and a speed of 1500, indicating the limitations of the predictive model in accounting for additional variables inherent to the engine.