Effect of Diesel Nanoemulsion Fuel on Reduction of Exhaust Pollutants in Comparison with Conventional Fuel

The presence of nanoemulsion water droplets in diesel fuel during combustion phenomena causes micro explosions. This process provides more oxygen for fuel and therefore improved combustion efficiency. Diesel fuel nanoemulsions were obtained by using surfactant packages such as long chain fatty acids and their salts, fatty esters, ethoxylated fatty acids and together with co-surfactants such as linear alcohols, butanol and hexanol in the presence of 5-15% of water. These compositions were stable and transparent during long period of time. These fuels were tested in diesel engine OM314 and their performance such as exhaust emissions fuel consumption and engine performance were compared with conventional diesel fuel. The presence of 5-15% water in these fuel compositions causes the exhaust emissions, i.e. nitrogen oxides (0.44-12.9%), soot (17.35-43.9%), and unburned hydrocarbons (0.82-6%) to decrease, but thermal efficiency in diesel engine and lubricity improve. In addition, the presence of water and additives in the fuel reduces heating value, and despite improving the quality of micro explosion phenomenon and increasing the thermal efficiency of combustion (3-4.8%) it causes engine power to decrease by 4.5-13.5%.