The Effects of a Diesel-Ethanol Blend Without Additives on Diesel Engine Operation

The objective of this study is to establish the influence that a blend of 90 % v/v Diesel and 10 % v/v Ethanol without additives has on the operation of a Diesel engine. In order to address the blend stability issue, the temperature of the fuel was maintained at 35 °C. For the comparison with pure Diesel operation the same test conditions were applied. The acquired data showed an increase in engine performances (power, torque) due to an increased indicated mean effective pressure. The higher values of the pressure come from an improved combustion, a conclusion which is supported by the pollutants measured in the exhaust gas: lower CO and O2, higher CO2 and higher NOx (as a result of the increased combustion temperature). The engine efficiency increases slightly.