Study on the outcome of a cetane improver on the emission characteristics of a diesel engine

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC), a cetane improver, is used as a fuel additive to investigate the exhaust emission in diesel engine. Neem oil biodiesel (B100), neem oil biodiesel + dimethyl carbonate (B100+DMC) and diesel were used as test fuels. DMC is added 0.5% by volume to biodiesel. This research work was executed in a four-stroke, single-cylinder diesel engine. Owing to the percentage of DMC in biodiesel, carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were dropped corresponding to diesel. A considerable amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) is decreased when diesel is used, and by the addition of B100+DMC, NOx were slightly reduced compared to B100.