Ethanol fuelling in C.I.

Engines

By:Amit kumar(2013PME5137) Kapil paliwal(2013PME5166) Amandeep singh(2013PCV5140)

Contents
Introduction
Ethanol properties Ethanol production

Fuelling in C.I. engines

Engine modifications Advantages and disadvantages Conclusion References

Introduction
Ethanol (C2H5OH) is a high performance, biomass fuel. It is

considered the most suited alcohol to be used as a fuel for spark ignition engines. The most attractive properties of ethanol include its ability to be produced from renewable energy sources, its high octane number, and its high flame speed. Ethanol use in the compression ignition engines is especially challenging, since the properties of ethanol resemble gasoline, not diesel fuel. It can be produced by the Fermentation of sugar crops (sugarcane, wheat, sorghum, maize, etc), starch, cornstalks, vegetable leftover and fruits.

Property
Chemical formula Molecular weight Density @20oC, kg/m3 Calorific value, MJ/kg Calorific value of stoichiometric mixture with air, MJ/m3 Heat of evaporation, kJ/kg Temperature of self ignition, K Stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, kg air/kg fuel Lower flammability limit Higher flammability limit Kinematic viscosity, mm2/s

Diesel fuel
CnH1.8n ~170 840 - 880 ~42.5 3.66 3.83 270 ~500 14.5 0.98 0.19 2.97 ~3 45 - 55 -

Ethanol
C2H5OH 46 789 26.8 3.85 840 665 9.06 2.06 0.30 1.4 94 111 8 2235

Octane number - motored - research

Cetane number Flame temperature, K

Combustion characteristics

Ethanol has higher flame speed and extended flammability limits. It produce a great number of product moles per mole of fuel burnt, therefore, higher pressure are achieved. Low volatility is indicated by high boiling point and high flash point. Alcohols burn with no luminous flame and produce almost no soot, especially methanol. The tendency to soot increases with molecular weight. Therefore, methanol produces less soot than ethanol. Combustion of alcohol in presence of air can be initiated by an intensive source of localized energy, such as a flame or a spark and also, the mixture can be ignited by application of energy by means of heat and pressure.

The high latent heat of vaporization of alcohols cools the air entering the combustion chamber of the engine, thereby increasing the air density and mass flow. This leads to increased volumetric efficiency and reduced compression temperatures. Together with the low level of combustion temperature, these

effects also improve the thermal efficiency by 10%.

The higher flame speed, giving earlier energy release in the power stroke, results in a power increase of 11% at normal conditions and up to 20% at

the higher levels of a compression ratio (14:1).

Because of the low proportion of carbon in alcohols, soot formation does not occur. The lower flame temperature of alcohols results in much lower NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) emissions. The wider flammability limits of alcohols permit smooth engine operation even at very lean mixtures.

Corrosiveness of alcohols
1. Dry ethanol is very corrosive to some aluminum alloys, but additional water at 1% almost completely inhibits corrosion. It must be noted that ethanol with additional water at more than 2% becomes corrosive again. The same happens with less than 1% water. Nitride and neoprene rubbers, generally satisfactory as elastomers in contact with ethanol and polyacetal plastics, are very resistant. Silicon rubber as well as vinyl can be used for gasket material. Ethanol always contains acetic acid and is particularly corrosive to aluminum alloys. Carburetors are normally made of zamac alloy. Experience has shown that if the carburetors are protected with a coat of Nickel the corrosion problem is overcome.

2.

3. 4.

5.

The floats on the carburetors float-bowl are generally made of porous plastics which are attacked by the ethanol and the end result is swelling and cracking.

6.

All bronze parts shall be replaced by brass or stainless steel. Mild Steel fuel

lines shall be replaced by nylon tube (NYLON 11).

7. Fuel filters used for gasoline are not recommended for the many alcohols. The internal element collapses after the glue that bonds it together is softened by the

alcohol. Special filters are necessary. Also due to the higher flows, filters have to
be bigger. The filter body must be made of Nylon or Teflon. 8. Highly alkaline oils should be used as lubricating oil, with a TBN of around 30.

Ethanol in CI Engines
The success of ethanolgasoline blending has motivated researchers to try using Ethanol in CI engines.
1. Cetane number 2. Octane number 3. Auto-ignition temp. C 4. Latent heat of vaporization (KJ/Kg) 5. Lower heating value (KJ/Kg)

Gasoline 96 371
349

Diesel 50 315
220

Methanol 5 112 446

1177

Ethanol 8 107 390

914

4400

42600

19945

26700

Common methods to use Ethanol in CI engines

CETANE NUMBER AND CETANE IMPROVING ADDITIVE ETHANOL-DIESEL EMULSIONS FUMIGATION DUAL INJECTION HEATED SURFACES SPARK-IGNITION ETHANOL-BIODIESEL-DIESEL BLENDS

CETANE NUMBER AND CETANE IMPROVING ADDITIVE

For a fuel to burn in a diesel engine, it must have a high cetane number or ability to self-ignite at high temperatures and pressures. Ethanol has a very low cetane number (around 8) and once it is mixed with diesel fuel, the CN of the blend is reduced significantly. Each 10% volume ethanol added to the diesel fuel, results in a 7.1-unit reduction in cetane number of the resulting blend.[Corkwell, 2002] The cetane-enhancing additive such as ethyl-hexyl-nitrate (EHN) or ditertbutyl peroxide should be mixed in the blend.[NREL] Depending upon the cetane additive blending level, the cetane number of ethanol-diesel blends can be increased relative to that of the blending diesel.

 EHN typically is used in the concentration range of 0.05% mass to 0.4% mass and may yield a 3 to 8 cetane number benefit. By adding different concentrations of a cetane enhancer (0, 0.2, 0.4%) the brake specific fuel consumption increased because of the lower energy content of ethanol, but the thermal efficiency is improved remarkably. Improving the cetane number means that ignition delay period will become short, which will reduce tendency to cause a diesel knock. However, too short ignition delay period will cause a lower rate of heat release which is not desired.

ETHANOL-DIESEL EMULSIONS
Because ethanol has limited solubility in diesel, stable emulsion

must be formed that will allow it to be injected before separation occurs. Emulsifiers can extend the stability of ethanol-diesel blends at lower temperatures up to ethanol blending levels as high as 15% in conventional diesel.

Source : NREL

 For a 15% ethanol blend the emulsifier blending level ranges from 0.75% to 5%. A emulsifier is required, even at 5% ethanol, for the fuel to remain a single phase in the presence of water. The use of emulsion is only feasible up to maximum 15% ethanol (energy basis). This kind of method has several problems which are as follows: 1) Specific fuel consumption at low speed increases 2) High cost 3) Instability. Therefore, other methods are developed.

FUMIGATION
The addition of ethanol as a blend with diesel fuel decreases

the viscosity of diesel fuel, affects the cetane number to drop and reduces the heating value. In fumigation mode, the ethanol is premixed with intake air by vaporizing or injecting.

 In this process, diesel fuel is used for generating a pilot flame and alcohol is used as a fumigated fuel. This requires additional carburettor, vaporizer or injector, along with a separate fuel tank line and controls. Large amount of air can be delivered and greater amount of power can be achieved if right proportion of fuel is added. Since ethanol is premixed with intake air so there is no necessity to add any additives in ethanol. Fumigation has some following advantages: 1. It requires a minimum of modification to the engine, since ethanol injector is placed at the in take air manifold. Also, flow control of the fuel can be managed by a simplified device and fuel supply system.

2.The alcohol fuel system is separate from the diesel system. This flexibility enables diesel engines, equipped with the fumigation system, to be operated with diesel fuel only. The engine can switch from dual fuel to diesel fuel operation and vice-versa by disconnection and connection of the ethanol source to the injector.

3.Because of good mixing of the injected charge with ethanol the smoke is reduced and power output is comparatively high.
4. Large displacement of conventional fuel is possible. Up to 50% of the fuel energy can be derived from alcohol by fumigation.

DUAL INJECTION
Dual injection or pilot injection, is a combination of two

individual fuel systems with the direct injection into the combustion chamber. A pilot injection of diesel is used to help to ignite a later injection of neat ethanol. Up to 90% ethanol can be used at high loads and 50-60 % at low and medium loads. The main advantages are high engine efficiencies, high displacement of fossil diesel, and low NOx and PM emissions.[Larsen 2009] However, the system requires two fuel pumps, thus leading to a high cost. Lubrication additives and/or improved materials might be needed for this technique.

HEATED SURFACES
Alcohol can ignite with hot surfaces. For this reason, glow-plugs

can be utilized as a source of ignition for alcohol. The hot surface assisted ignition concept is commonly applied to overcome the low temperature starting problem in diesel engines. The function of the hot surface is to provide favourable local ignition condition, followed by flame propagating through the fuel air mixture to establish a stable diffusion flame. Surface ignition occurs when the temperature of the air-fuel mixture adjacent to the hot surface exceeds its self ignition limit.

1. Ignition characteristics of ethanol affected by fuel amount, injection timing, position and length of glow plug, glow plug temperature and water content in ethanol. 2. Engine speed, fuel injection timing and position of the glow plugs have a strong effect on the ignition characteristics. 3. It must be noted that the temperature of glow-plugs must vary with load. However, the glow-plug becomes inefficient at a high load. 4. Glow plug surface temperature for proper ignition is around 850oC. 5. Brake thermal efficiency is comparable to that of diesel. 6. Higher carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. 7. Larger reduction in NOx emissions. 8. Soot free combustion. 9. Quieter operation. 10. Longer ignition delay. 11.specific fuel consumption is higher than that of diesel.

SPARK-IGNITION
When a spark plug is used, diesel engine can be converted to Otto cycle engine. In this case, compression ratio should be reduced, from 16: 1 to 10.5: 1. There are two types about this kind of conversion. They are as follows: Type 1: The original fuel injection system is maintained. Alcohol needs additive for lubricity (Nitride glycol). Besides, both distributor and sparkplug need to be installed, thus leading to a high cost of conversion. It is critical to adjust an ideal injection and spark-time for this kind of conversion. Type 2: Original fuel injection is eliminated. But, a carburetor, a spark-plug and a distributor need to be installed, which increases the cost of conversion. In this conversion, spark timing is critical. Both the type 1 and type 2 conversion have a lower thermal efficiency than that of diesel.

ETHANOL-BIODIESEL-DIESEL -BLENDS
In general, ethanol does not mix well with diesel oil, but with

the use of additives, ethanol can be used more or less immediately. With the use of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters [FAME]), ethanol has been shown to blend quite well with diesel. A major disadvantage of solutions is that they tend to absorb water and separate during storage, thus having limited storage capability. Newer techniques utilize dispenser custom blending in which the blending of ethanol, diesel oil, and solvents or other fuel additives is done as the fuel is poured into the vehicle fuel tank.

Advantages of ethanol

Produce greater number of moles per mole of fuel burnt Negligible emission of soot High latent heat of vaporization High flame speed High energy density Less cooling required Low NOx emission Wider flammability limits Octane number is high so high thermal efficiency It is an excellent solvent for fuels, oils, fats etc. It is miscible with water in all proportion.

Disadvantages
High corrosive property
Aldehyde emission Difficult cold starting

Fuel consumption is high

Low Boiling point & high vapour pressure High latent heats of alcohol cause problems in mixing

with air and transporting them through the intake manifold of the engine.

CONCLUSIONS
The very low cetane rating does not comply with current diesel

specifications. In general, ethanol does not mix well with diesel oil, but with the use of additives, ethanol can be used more or less immediately. For ethanol fuelled C.I. engines CO, VOC, and aldehyde emissions are considerably higher. Emissions of NOx, particulates, and aromatic HCs are comparatively lower.

REFERENCES
Bhattacharya, T.K., and Mishra, T.N. Studies on Feasibility of

using Lower Proof Ethanoldiesel Blends as Fuel for Compression Ignition Engines, October 2007. http://www.ieindia.org/publish/ag/1203/dec03ag6.pdf. U.S. DOE, EERE, AFDC (Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center),Web site. http://www.eere.energy.gov. Chen , H., Shuai, S., and Wang, J., Study on combustion characteristics and PM emission of diesel engines using ester ethanoldiesel blended fuels, 2007. Kim, H., Choi, B., Park, S., and Kim, Y., Engine Performance and Emission Characteristics of CRDI Diesel Engine Equipped with WCC and DOC Using Ethanol Blended Diesel Fuel, .

Thank you