www.astesj.com 88 The Effect of Fuel Additives on Pyrorated Biodiesel Blends on the Performance of a Diesel Power Generator Maroa Semakula * , Freddie Inambao Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history: Received: 14 May, 2019 Accepted: 06 August, 2019 Online: 03 September, 2019 The demand for renewable energy sources such as waste pyrolysis plastic oil (WPPO), ethanol biofuel with high oxygen content is increasing globally. This study used blending of conventional diesel oil, waste plastic pyrolysis oil, ethanol and 2-ethyl hexyl nitrate (EHN) as additive. The purpose was to improve combustion, the ignition quality, and performance and emission characteristics of WPPO as an alternative source of energy. As an additive EHN reduces emissions of CO, CO2, UHC, NOX, and PM. On the other hand, the inclusion of ethanol purposed to improve the viscosity, increase the oxygen content of the blends, and increase miscibility of WPPO. The study utilized the following ratios, 50/WPPO25/E25, 60/WPPO20/E20, 70/WPPO15/E15, 80/WPPO10/E10 and 90/WPPO5/E5 for conventional diesel (CD), WPPO and ethanol and EHN respectively. The ratio of the additive was determined by the percentage method based on the total quantity of the blended fuel and was calculated as 0.001 %. A complete Miscibility was observed to avoid phase separation during the study and experimentation, for the blended ratios of WPPO. The testing for performance and emission characteristics was conducted on a fixed bed, water-cooled, single cylinder diesel generator engine. The results were compared to ASTM standards and discussed using tables and figures. The results conclusively show very close densities of 792 kg/m 3 , 963 kg/m 3 , 825 kg/m 3 for WPPO, ethanol, EHN respectively, which are close to CD fuel at 845 kg/m 3 . Increased blend ratio decreased BSFC, 50 % engine load blend 80/WPPO10/E10 had values of 0.043 g/kW.h compared to full load with 0.041 g/kW.h. The highest brake thermal efficiency was by blend 90/WPPO5/E5 at 25 % engine load with a value of 26.5 % compared to 19 % at full engine load. Increase in the blend ratio and engine load decreased CO emissions up to 75 % engine load. For example, blend 90/WPPO5/E5 had a value of 0.035 % carbon emissions compared to 0.055 % at 25 % engine load. Therefore, conclusively WPPO blends can be alternative fuel with or without major engine modification. Keywords: 2-ethyl hexyl nitrate Ethanol High content of oxygen Ignition quality Waste plastic pyrolysis oil Phase separation 1. Introduction The demand for energy due to the increasing world population energy needs has placed tremendous pressure on the primary sources of energy, which are oil-based fossil fuels, in the last decade [1-3]. Although economically good on the other hand, widespread use and burning of fossil fuels is responsible for long- term environment problem in climatic changes. Secondly, fossil fuels are non-renewable and as such, their depletion is a global energy security threat. Besides depletion, the burning of fossil fuels decreases air quality leading to large-scale increase in cardiovascular diseases and cancer cases [4-6]. Globally fossil fuel still commands 80 % of the total energy requirements of the world which is consumed mostly by the transport industry alone [7]. The largest fossil fuel brand is diesel, which is a primary in diesel engines used for commercial and private transportation. Since their discovery in 1893 by Rudolph Diesel, diesel engine are efficient and good in fuel economy over power [8, 9]. Diesel engines are gaining more popularity in agricultural transport and applications, power generation and heating systems. This is due to their high thermal efficiency ASTESJ ISSN: 2415-6698 * Maroa Semakula, Email: ssemakulamaroa@gmail.com Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal Vol. 4, No. 5, 88-96 (2019) www.astesj.com https://dx.doi.org/10.25046/aj040511