An experimental investigation in a diesel engine using carbon nanotubes blended water–diesel emulsion fuel

Abstract

An experimental investigation is carried out to establish the performance, emission, and combustion characteristics of a diesel engine using carbon nanotubes (CNT) blended water–diesel emulsion fuels. The investigation is carried out in three phases using an experimental set-up consisting of a single-cylinder diesel engine coupled with an electrical loading device, an AVL Di-gas analyser, an AVL smoke meter, and a data-acquisition system comprising a Kistler piezoelectric pressure transducer and a crank angle encoder: using neat diesel in the first phase, water–diesel emulsion fuel in the second phase, and CNT blended water–diesel emulsion fuels in the third phase. The water–diesel emulsion fuel is prepared in the proportion of 5 per cent water, 93 per cent diesel, and 2 per cent surfactants (Span 80 and Tween 80) by volume with a hydrophilic–lipophilic balance of 8. The CNT are blended with the water–diesel emulsion fuel in the mass fractions of 25 and 50 ppm with the aid of a mechanical homogenizer and an ultrasonicator. Subsequently, the stability characteristics of CNT blended water–diesel emulsion fuels are analysed under static conditions. All the experiments are conducted at a constant speed of 1500 r/min and the results revealed a considerable enhancement in the brake thermal efficiency and substantial reduction in the harmful pollutants due to the incorporation of CNT in the water–diesel emulsion fuel.