Some alternative fuels which can be produced in the agriculture may be suitable for engine applications, particularly in the cases of self-supply.
Use of pure alcohol and crude plant oil as fuels poses some problems.
This paper analyzes several potential applications using mixtures of ethanol, crude rape oil or a combination of both. The analysis of injection, combustion and of the total emissions was carried out.
Additives influences on emission and combustion characteristics depend on the engine's operational range.
In general ethanol decreases particulate emissions, increases ignition delay due to the lower cetane number and shortens combustion duration. Crude rape oil increases the emissions of particulates and affects less the combustion speed. Both diminish full load torque due to the lower caloric value.
30 % ethanol - 15 % rape oil mixtures were used to obtain on the investigated HD-DI-engine emissions, similar to conventional diesel fuel. However, this was accompanied by power reductions, up to 12.5 %.