Alternative fuels composed by blends of nonionic surfactant with diesel and water: engine performance and emissions

Abstract

Diesel - based microemulsions and a surfactant/diesel blend, using ethoxylated (5 EO) nonylphenol as surfactant, were prepared and tested in a diesel engine to evaluate its performance and emissions. The following properties were evaluated: density, viscosity, cloud point and corrosiveness. Experimental results showed that density and viscosity were greater than those obtained for neat diesel. Cloud point and corrosiveness were not affected by water and surfactant. Specific fuel consumption of the microemulsion systems was greater than that of diesel, but the small droplets of water improved diesel combustion. Compared with diesel, an increase in carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and a decrease in black smoke emissions were obtained. In general, only microemulsions with up to 6% water are in accord with Brazilian diesel/biodiesel fuel regulations and specifications

Biosurfactants: Promising Molecules for Petroleum Biotechnology Advances

“…Emulsified fuels are mixtures that includes surfactants that facilitates the formation of a stable emulsion of the water or other substances within the fuel phase and a variety of additives such as detergents, anti-foaming agents, lubricity enhancers, anti-rust agents, ignition improvers and metal deactivators (Coleman and Sibley, 2003; Dantas Neto et al, 2011). …”

“…In addition to cost saving such fuels improve combustion efficiency, do not need engine modification and effectively reduces carbon monoxide (CO), NO x , unburned hydrocarbon, particulate matter emission and reduce exhaust gas temperatures and general pollutant emissions (Perfumo et al, 2010; Dantas Neto et al, 2011). Surfactants can stabilize the emulsion ensuring that the finely dispersed water droplets remain in suspension within the fuels preventing phase separation upon long-term storage.…”

Emulsification of animal fats and vegetable oils for their use as a diesel engine fuel: An overview

“…Microemulsions are spontaneously formed systems and exhibit nano-dispersed structures [59]. Microemulsions have special features, such as: thermodynamically stable [60], large interfacial area, ultralow interfacial tension and optical transparency [59].…”

“…Microemulsions have special features, such as: thermodynamically stable [60], large interfacial area, ultralow interfacial tension and optical transparency [59]. The Gibbs free energy of the microemulsions is negative or zero (ΔG f r0).…”

Tween-80–n-Butanol–Diesel–Water Microemulsion System—A Class of Alternative Diesel Fuel

“…Several data available in the literature corroborate this finding. [23][24][25] The microemulsion burns for a longer period of time compared to that of neat diesel. The most remarkable observation is that no water was left during the burning of the ME, which remains as a stable homogeneous mixture during burning process.…”