Development and Experimental Validation of a 1D Model for Performance and Emissions Analysis of Oxygenated Fuel Blends in a CI Engine

Emissions reduction remains a major concern for internal combustion engines in view of increasingly stringent environmental regulations. To address these challenges while maintaining acceptable engine performance, a wide range of alternative fuels and fuel blends have been investigated to ensure the continued viability of CI engines. This study reports the effects of blending the oxygenated fuel diethylene glycol diethyl ether (DGDE) with hydrotreated vegetable oil biodiesel (HVO) on engine performance and emissions. The investigation is conducted on a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder, common-rail diesel engine equipped with variable geometry turbocharger and a high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system. The objectives of this study are achieved by developing a one-dimensional predictive engine model using the commercial GT-Suite software. The engine model is developed and experimentally validated, at different operating conditions and HVO–DGDE fuel blends, to predict their effects on combustion characteristics and emissions formation. The validation is performed against experimental measurements collected at the engine test bed. The results indicate that increasing the blending ratio of oxygenated fuel leads to improvements in indicated mean effective pressure and a more favorable soot–NOx emissions trade-off compared with neat HVO operation. The findings highlight the potential of oxygenated fuel blends to enhance CI engine performance while reducing emissions. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining experimental and numerical approaches to evaluate biodiesel–oxygenated fuel blends and provides insights for future research aimed at minimizing CI engine emissions.