Emission reduction and performance enhancement of diesel engine fuelled using palm oil biodiesel and nanoparticle as additive

Energy demand is one of the crisis the entire world face as fossil fuels are exhausting at a faster rate. In recent years, enormous research was carried out research work on biodiesel because of its advantages over economy and ecology. For enhancing the physiochemical properties, several researchers were carried out to find the suitability of biodiesel in diesel engine as a sustainable fuel. In this experimental study, the palm oil methyl ester biodiesel with Al2O3 nanoadditive as an alternative fuel has been studied. Biodiesel is prepared using the transesterification process. The base fuel initially used to test the experimental test rig is neat diesel fuel. The composition of palm oil biodiesel in diesel fuel is limited to 20%, and the metal oxide-based aluminium oxide nanoparticle (Al₂O₃) is mixed homogeneously using an ultrasonicator. According to the testing standards provided by the American Society for Testing and Methods (ASTM), the properties of prepared test fuel are determined. It is found from the comparison that the alternate fuel composition the rate of fuel consumption reduced with improved thermal efficiency. The biodiesel blend (PO20) and biodiesel blend with Al₂O₃ (PO20 + 50 ppm Al₂O₃) exhibited an increase in the thermal efficiency of the engine, and it is found as 4.72 and 11.8%, respectively, while compared to diesel fuel at maximum load condition. This is completely due to the reactivity of the nanoparticle and increased surface-to-volume ratio that allows them to act as more efficient chemical catalysts, thus increasing the mass of fuel burnt. As a result of the incorporation of nanoparticles, there was a reduction of CO and HC emissions is observed, whereas, the formation of NOx increase.