Combustion Modelling of Diesel Fuel, Seed Oils and Methyl Ester of Seed Oils

A phenomenological model having modular formulation is presented for combustion in the open chamber diesel engine. The modules for fuel injection, jet penetration and droplet formation have been calibrated outside the engine in a high pressure, fixed volume chamber by high speed photographic and laser analysis of single spray ‘shots’. In the diagnostic mode of operation the chemical components of the combustion reaction are estimated. In the predictive mode of operation the model is used to estimate engines’ pressure diagrams and various other combustion characteristics of the fuels over a wide range of speed and load conditions. Finally, sensitivity analyses of the reaction rate constants of five fuels namely distillate, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and methyl esters of sunflower and rapeseed oils, to some of the model inputs are presented.