Spray Characteristics and Engine Performance of Vegetable Oil–Diesel–Ethanol Hybrid Fuel

Abstract

In this work, hybrid fuels consisting of diesel fuel, tung oil, and ethanol were made. The spray characteristics and engine performance of hybrid fuels were studied utilizing a spray visualization system under atmospheric conditions and an engine testing system respectively. The results indicated that the viscosity of tung oil could be reduced with the addition of diesel and ethanol. The quality of spray and atomization deteriorated when tung oil volume fraction was increased in the hybrid fuels but could be improved when ethanol volume fraction was increased. The brake specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency of the hybrid fuels was higher than those of diesel fuel. With the increasing percentage of tung oil and ethanol in the hybrid fuels, a reduction in smoke and nitrogen oxide emissions and an increase in carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions were observed at low engine loads.