The effect of fusel oil and waste biodiesel fuel blends on a CI engine performance, emissions, and combustion characteristics

Abstract In this study, experimental engine tests were conducted to investigate the combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of a diesel engine using a fuel blend composed of diesel, biodiesel, and fusel oil. In the study, which was carried out by using fuels obtained from different wastes together in a diesel engine. Seven different fuels were prepared for experiments by adding waste cooking oil (30% and 50%) and fusel oil (5% and 10%) by volume to commercial diesel fuel. The tests were carried out on the Lombardini LDW 1003 engine, a three-cylinder diesel engine, at four different engine loads (10, 20, 30, and 40 Nm), and a constant speed (2000 rpm). The experimental results revealed that the use of WCO generally led to increased NOx emissions which generally decreased with the fusel oil addition to the fuel mixture. Considering diesel fuel as a reference at maximum load conditions, there was a 12.63% increase in NOx emissions with 50% WCO. A 2.45% decrease in NOx emissions was achieved by adding 10% fusel oil. Furthermore, HC emissions decreased with the addition of both fusel oil and WCO at all load levels. When diesel fuel is taken as a reference at maximum load conditions, a 90% reduction in HC emissions was achieved by adding 50% WCO, and a 50% reduction in HC emissions was achieved by adding 10% fusel oil. Additionally, when diesel fuel is taken as a reference at maximum load condition, it was observed that a 0.05% increase in the maximum cylinder pressure value with the addition of 50% WCO and a 2.09% increase in the maximum cylinder pressure value with the addition of 10% fusel oil.