Influence of Diethyl Ether-Coconut Biodiesel Blended Fuel on Performance of a Small Diesel Engine

Abstract

This research objective is to study the influence of the coconut biodiesel blended with diethyl ether at different ratios. The mixing ratio of coconut biodiesel and diethyl ether were 99:1, 97:3 and 95:5 by volume. The blended fuels were tested with the one-cylinder small diesel engine “YANMAR-TF 90 DI-L” which was installed on the engine dynamometer “ANAKA-STYLE DYNAMOMETER P-1.5”. The effects of different diethyl ether fractions on engine performance such as torque, engine power, brake specific consumption and thermal efficiency were investigated at 1,500 rpm of engine speed at full load condition.
The results showed that mixing diethyl ether at different fractions with coconut biodiesel had effects on both fuel properties and engine performance. For the fuel properties, the heating value, viscosity and specific gravity of the blended fuels were decreased when the diethyl ether fraction increased. For the engine performance, torque, engine power and thermal efficiency were increased while the brake specific fuel consumption was decreased when the diethyl ether fractions increased.