Engine performance and emission characteristics of a compression ignition engine fuelled with diesel/dimethoxymethane blends

The performance and emissions of a compression ignition engine fuelled with diesel/dimethoxymethane (DMM) blends were studied. The results showed that the engine's thermal efficiency increased and the diesel equivalent brake specific fuel consumption (b.s.f.c.) decreased as the oxygen mass fraction (or DMM mass fraction) of the diesel/DMM blends increased. This change in the diesel/DMM blends was caused by an increased fraction of the premixed combustion phase, an oxygen enrichment, and an improvement in the diffusive combustion phase. A remarkable reduction in the exhaust CO and smoke can be achieved when operating on the diesel/DMM blend. Flat NO_x/smoke and thermal efficiency/smoke curves are presented when operating on the diesel/DMM fuel blends, and a simultaneous reduction in both NO_x and smoke can be realized at large DMM addition. Thermal efficiency and NO_x give the highest value at 2 per cent oxygen mass fraction (or 5 per cent DMM volume fraction) for the combustion of diesel/DMM blends.