Study of a Turbocharged Common Rail Direct Injection Diesel Engine on Performance and Emission with n-Butanol Diesel Blends

Alcohol based fuel is a clean alternative fuel source to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, is renewable and can be utilized in various areas. Application of n-butanol significantly improved the emissions levels. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of diesel-butanol blends on the emission and performance characteristic of a four-stroke, turbocharged, water cooled, and common rail direct injection (CRDI) diesel engine. Testing was performed comparing butanol blended with the local commercial diesel B5 (B5 fuel) at three engine loads. The diesel-butanol blends at 5% butanol (BU5 fuel) in volume basis. Compared to the local commercial diesel B5, butanol blend fuel showed reduce of BSFC (40% – 48%), HC (53% – 57%), NOx emissions (30% – 66%) while exhibiting increasing carbon monoxide emissions at 30% load. Diesel-butanol blend fuel has possibility to be used as alternative fuel.

Keywords: Diesel; n-butanol; common rail; direct injection.