An Integrated Material Science Approach to Evaluate the Viability of Ethoxy Ethane and Rubber Seed (Heavea Brasiliensis) Biodiesel as Sustainable Fuel for Compression Ignition Engines

The primary issues in using pure vegetable oils for internal combustion engines are their high soot output and reduced thermal efficiency. Therefore in the present investigation, a Heavea Brasiliensis biodiesel (HBB) is used as a carbon source of fuel and ethoxy ethane as a combustion accelerator on a compression ignition (CI) engine. In this investigation, an only one cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled DI diesel engine with a rated output of 4.4 kW at 1500 rpm was utilized. Whereas heavea brasiliensis biodiesel was delivered straightly into the cylinder at almost close to the end of compression stroke and ethoxy ethane was sprayed instantly in the intake manifold in the event of intake stroke. At various loads, the parameter of ethoxy ethane volume rate were optimised. To minimise exhaust emissions, an air plasma spray technology was employed to cover the engine combustion chamber with a thermal barrier coating. Because of its adaptability for high-temperature applications, YSZ (Yttria-stabilized zirconia) was chosen as the coating material. The brake thermal efficiency for a neat HBB is 29.8% and it reached a peak value of 30.5% for ethoxy ethane injection of volume flow rate as 13 cc/min. Also there is a reduction in emissions at all loads except oxides of nitrogen. Smoke emission decreases after ethoxy ethane injection from 6.4 to 5.2 BSN. For HBB, HBB plus ethoxy ethane, and diesel, the HC emission at maximum load is 51 ppm, 47 ppm, and 44 ppm respectively.