Abstract:
A comparative study of biodiesel properties and engine performance efficiency with using nano-TiO2 additive were conducted initially. The basic properties of the base fuel and the modified fuel formed by dispersing the catalyst TiO2 nanoparticles by ultrasonic are measured using ASTM standard test methods. The total of seven fuels, such as biodiesel blended fuels of 2 percent, 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent, 50 percent and 100 percent palm biodiesel with the rest of diesel fuel are denoted as B2, B10, B20, B30, B40, B50, and
B100, respectively. The addition of nano-TiO2 additive of X percent by volume in the studied palm biodiesel denoted as B2_X percent, for example, were selected for this investigation that X = 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent. It was found that the quality of the modified fuem with 0.1 percent TiO2 shows better overall properties such as reduced kinematic viscosity, increased cetane number, increased lower-heating value, and increased flash point. However, the quality trend of the fuel properties has a decrease in the increase of biodiesel blend.
The aim of this work is to enhance the performance of an indirect injection (IDI) engine without modifying engine. A chassis dynamometer used under the simulation of road load conditions with eddy current brake was used to measure engine brake power, engine torque, wheel power, and specific fuel consumption (SFC). The experimental results showed the nano-TiO2 additive of 0.1 percent by volume has the most effective performance of the tested engine for biodiesel blended fuel between B20_0.1 percent and B100_0.1 percent fuels. In the speed range of 2000-3000 rpm, it was found that all biodiesel fuel with 0.1 percent TiO2 additive obtained the higher level of brake power, wheel power, and engine torque as compared with all biodiesel fuel without 0.1 percent TiO2 additive. Meanwhile, the level of specific fuel consumption was significantly decreased.