Performance and Combustion Characteristics Analysis of Multi-Cylinder CI Engine Using Essential Oil Blends

S. M. Ashrafur Rahman; Md. Nurun Nabi; Thuy Chu Van; Kabir Suara; Mohammad Jafari; Ashley Dowell; Md. Aminul Islam; Anthony J. Marchese; Jessica Tryner; Md. Farhad Hossain; Thomas J. Rainey; Zoran D. Ristovski; Richard J. Brown

doi:10.3390/en11040738

Energies (Mar 2018)

Performance and Combustion Characteristics Analysis of Multi-Cylinder CI Engine Using Essential Oil Blends

S. M. Ashrafur Rahman,
Md. Nurun Nabi,
Thuy Chu Van,
Kabir Suara,
Mohammad Jafari,
Ashley Dowell,
Md. Aminul Islam,
Anthony J. Marchese,
Jessica Tryner,
Md. Farhad Hossain,
Thomas J. Rainey,
Zoran D. Ristovski,
Richard J. Brown

Affiliations

S. M. Ashrafur Rahman: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Md. Nurun Nabi: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
Thuy Chu Van: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Kabir Suara: Environmental Fluid Mechanics Group, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Mohammad Jafari: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Ashley Dowell: Southern Cross Plant Science, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
Md. Aminul Islam: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Anthony J. Marchese: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Jessica Tryner: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Md. Farhad Hossain: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Thomas J. Rainey: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Zoran D. Ristovski: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
Richard J. Brown: Biofuel Engine Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en11040738
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 4
p. 738

Abstract

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Essential oils are derived from not-fatty parts of plants and are mostly used in aromatherapy, as well as cosmetics and perfume production. The essential oils market is growing rapidly due to their claimed health benefits. However, because only therapeutic grade oil is required in the medicinal sector, there is a substantial low-value waste stream of essential oils that can be used in the transportation and agricultural sectors. This study investigated the influence of orange, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil on engine performance and combustion characteristics of a multi-cylinder compression ignition engine. Orange, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil were blended with diesel at 10% by volume. For benchmarking, neat diesel and 10% waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blend were also tested. The selected fuels were used to conduct engine test runs with a constant engine speed (1500 RPM (revolutions per minute)) at four loads. As the load increased, frictional power losses decreased for all of the fuel samples and thus mechanical efficiency increased. At higher loads (75% and 100%), only orange oil-diesel blends produced comparable power to diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. Fuel consumption (brake and indicated) for the essential oil-diesel blends was higher when compared to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. Thermal efficiency for the essential oil-diesel blends was comparable to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. At higher loads, blow-by was lower for essential oil blends as compared to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. At 50% and 100% load, peak pressure was lower for all of the essential oil-diesel blends when compared to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. From the heat release rate curve, the essential oil-diesel blends ignition delay times were longer because the oils have lower cetane values. Overall, the low-value streams of these essential oils were found to be suitable for use in diesel engines at 10% blends by agricultural producers of these oils.

Published in Energies

ISSN: 1996-1073 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies

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