International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ’14) Cordoba (Spain), 8 th to 10 th April, 2014       (RE&PQJ) ISSN 2172-038 X, No.12, April 2014 Performance of a single cylinder diesel engine fuelled with emulsified residual oleins and standard diesel fuel E. Melo 1 , R. Piloto 1 , I. Tobio 1 , L. Goyos 1 and S. Verhelst 2 1 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Havana Calle 127 s/n, Cujae, Marianao, Habana, 19390, Havana (Cuba) Phone/Fax number:(+537) 6900142, e-mail: emelo@ceter.cujae.edu.cu , eliezer.ahmed.melo.espinosa@gmail.com 2 Department of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent (Belgium) Phone, fax, e-mail: sebastian.verhelst@ugent.be Abstract. Emulsified residual oleins and standard diesel fuel were evaluated. The engine tests for the fuels analyzed were performed in a Petter single cylinder direct injection diesel engine under steady state conditions at fixed torque values (20 Nm and 34 Nm) and the engine speeds (n) between 1300-1700 rpm. Power output, specific fuel consumption, ignition delay and exhaust composition were evaluated. The emulsified residual oleins (ERO) shown lower power output joint to a higher specific fuel consumption related to the lower heating value of residual oleins compared to diesel fuel. A shorter ignition delay was observed for the ERO. Decreases in NOx emission were obtained for ERO compared to diesel fuel. The use of ERO in order to be a partial or full alternative to the use of diesel fuel for energy production was achieved. Key words Residual oleins, emulsion, ignition delay, diesel engine 1. Introduction Diesel engines are mainly used in industrial, transport and agricultural applications due to their high efficiency and reliability [1]. The development of internal combustion engines followed a dual strategy over years: improvement of engine performance and reduction of pollutant emissions [2]. However, researchers as Alahmer [2], Subramanian [3] and Qi[1] sentenced that the diesel engines are considered an important pollution source, due to their emissions (black smoke, hydrocarbon (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matters (PM), sulfur oxides (SOx), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO). On the other hand, the increasing petroleum price and environmental concern due to global warming has developed the thrust in search of renewable fuels for diesel engines [4]. Recently, much attention has been paid to the development of alternative fuels in order to meet the emission standards and to reduce the dependency on fossil fuel [4]. In addition, the fossil fuel demand is continuously increasing the depletion of fossil fuel stocks [5]. These situations have motivated in the scientific community around the world the interest in alternative fuels. Researchers as Tan [6] and Senthil [7] point out that the animal fats and the vegetable oils represent promising alternatives to conventional fuel (diesel) because of their very close properties to diesel. But, the use of these biofuels brings several problems associated in diesel engines as less efficient combustion process due to the poor atomization process and ignition delay. For this reason, in order to obtain a more engine-friendly fuel is necessary change the biofuels properties (viscosity, surface tension, etc) applying different method, such as: preheating, blending, transesterification, cracking/pyrolysis, emulsification, etc. The advantage and drawbacks of such method are mentioned for Kumar [8]. Also, this researcher emphasized in the trend to use the emulsions as fuel in diesel engines due to is a simple process and needs no modification in the engine design, as well as, their simultaneous reduction of smoke and NOx emissions. Alcohol-oil microemulsions for use in diesel engine is suggested by Yusuf [9]. The most important volume of petroleum used in Cuba is imported, because the sources of liquid fossil fuels are small. In order to solve this situation, with the country’s resource, could be very interesting the alternative fuels. The new Cuba’s economic and social policies include renewable energies, increasing its use and emphasizing those that they have bigger economic effect. Also, the integration of different renewable energies, can contribute to decreasing the dependence of the fossil fuels in order to decentralization of the actual energetic matrix and environmental problems. Concerning to the studies about the use of emulsified fuels in Cuba, these only have point out to the emulsified diesel fuel. Therefore, could be particularly attractive to carry https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj12.278 183 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.12, April 2014