A comprehensive review on the assessment of fuel additive effects on combustion behavior in CI engine fuelled with diesel biodiesel blends

Development in transport technology is a major issue owing to the increase the number of vehicles, which in turn increases emissions, which result in global warming. The world’s present transportation systems are greatly dependent on petroleum which will deplete rapidly due to limited reserves of fossil fuel. In addition, transportation is responsible for more than 25 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and this share is rising, which is a threat for future. As an alternative, biodiesel has drawn attention due to its renewability, biodegradability, high conductivity, low sulfur content, flash point, low aromatic content, increased lubricity etc. with less carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emission. On the other hand, as the viscosity of biodiesel is greater than diesel due to its higher molecular mass and chemical structure, problems such as pumping, combustion, atomization in the injector system, injector deposit, plugging of filters, carbon deposits on piston and head of engine occur. Most previous studies concluded that although particulate emissions from biodiesel fuelled engines are much less than in gasoline, NOx emissions increases significantly. The adjustment of ignition delay in the premixed combustion phase, faster rate of fuel burn, advanced start of combustion, low radiation heat transfer and variable adiabatic flame temperature is mainly responsible for NOx formation and other emissions. Hence fuel additives may play an important role to counteract such problems and achieve various specified standards. Researchers have used many additives to improve the quality of biodiesel such as metal-based additives, oxygenated additives, cetane improvers, ignition promoters, cold-flow improvers, antioxidants and lubricity improvers etc. This literature review characterizes the combustion behavior of diesel engines fuelled by diesel, biodiesel and its blends including additives. It was found that combustion characteristics were improved by introducing additives into diesel and biodiesel blends, while exhaust emissions are also reduced.