Investigation of Effects of Ignition Improvers on Ignition Delay Time of Ethanol Combustion with Rapid Compression and Expansion Machine

This work investigates the effects of ignition improvers on the ignition and combustion characteristics of hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight water and 1% by weight Lauric acid (Eh95) under simulated diesel engine conditions using the rapid compression and expansion machine (RCEM). Results indicate that hydrous ethanol with commercial additive (ED95) and hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight glycerol ethoxylate in hydrous ethanol exhibit a near identical rate-of-pressure-rise and heat release rate. Ignition delay of hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight glycerol ethoxylate is shorter, but hydrous ethanol with 1% by weight glycerol ethoxylate has longer ignition delay time and different combustion characteristics compared with hydrous ethanol with commercial additive (ED95). Hydrous ethanol with 1% by weight glycerol ethoxylate and hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight glycerol ethoxylate are considered suitable fuels for high compression-ratio diesel engines. Ignition and combustion characteristics of hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight DEE and hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight biodiesel are similar to hydrous ethanol with 5% by weight water and 1% by weight Lauric acid (Eh95), with the longest ignition delay and the highest peak rate-of-pressure-rise of tested fuels.