Investigation of the Effects of Oxygenate and Nitrate Component Additives on Physico-Chemical Properties and Exhaust Emission of Diesel Fuel

This study evaluates the effect of additives on diesel and of additive-ethanol-diesel fuel blends on the density, viscosity, cetane number, flash point, boiling point, distillation and performance in engine tests. An additive is used to keep the blends homogenous and stable, and an ignition improver, which can enhance cetane number in ethanol-diesel fuel blends. The formulations were carried out with 5, 7.5 and 10% v/v of additive-ethanol starting from a base diesel. The presence of MXEE (2-Methoxy Ethyl Ether), NM (Nitro Methane), NE (Nitro Ethane) and ethanol in the diesel fuel significantly alters the characteristics of volatility (flashpoint and distillation curve) and increases the cetane number, improving the fuel’s performance in engine tests. The performance of the new fuel formulations were studied on a MB-OM 457 LA diesel engine in idle and cut-off speed positions. The results showed that soot formation can be reduced by more than 50%, 30% and 27% with the diesel formulations; E-NE5-10, E-NM5-10 and E-MX5-10, respectively.