Performance and Emission Studies of Diesel Engine Using Diethyl Ether as Oxygenated Fuel Additive

There is currently interest in finding means to improve motor vehicle fuel economy while complying with emissions regulations. Fuel additives have been widely reported to improve engine cleanliness and performance with diesel engines. Diethyl Ether (DEE ) has high octane number and compatible with current vehicle technology and fuel infrastructure. Although DEE has long been known as a cold start aid for engines, knowledge about using DEE for other operations, such as significant component of a blend or additive is limited. In this present work, experiments were conducted to study the influence of DEE on the performance and emissions of a 4-S direct injection diesel engine. From the experimental results, it is observed that the addition of DEE to diesel fuel improves the performance of the diesel engine. A slight improvement in the thermal efficiency and reduction in smoke, carbon monoxide and hydro carbon emissions were observed with B5 Blend (5 % DEE + 95 % Diesel).