Experimental Investigation of Aromatic Blended Binary Fuel on Pollutant Emissions from Compression Ignition Engine

Direct injection diesel-fueled engines have been extensively used for automotive applications due to their higher thermal efficiency and lower carbon dioxide emissions. However, high particulate matter (PM) and NOx emissions from these engines are still an issue that needs to be addressed. The modification of fuel components like structure, contents, and properties are expected to be the crucial countermeasures to improve the overall performance of the fuel in the engine. Aromatics are the essential component of the fossil-based diesel fuel to provide the lubricity to engine parts lubricated by fuel itself. However, aromatics have a higher tendency to promote the PM formation from diesel engines. Therefore, the study of the aromatics content in the fuel and its structure has great significance in engine applications. In the present study, three different aromatics were used to investigate their impact on diesel engine characteristics. Aromatics were blended with de-aromatized higher chain alkanes as binary fuel blends. Higher aromatics blending in binary mixture led to higher PM emissions. Due to a higher degree of unsaturation, polycyclic single and double-ring aromatics (indene and methylnaphthalene) produce higher pollutant emissions as compared to single-ring monocyclic aromatics (toluene).