Adaptive control of diesel-biodiesel fuel blend composition to improve diesel engine efficiency and emissions

Abstract

The paper investigates the influence of variable composition of diesel-biodiesel fuel blends on the technical, economic, and environmental performance of a diesel engine and substantiates the feasibility of using an improved fuel supply system with adaptive regulation of the biodiesel fraction depending on the engine operating mode. Based on experimental studies conducted on an SMD-15 diesel engine equipped with a loading unit, datasets were obtained for effective power, fuel consumption, exhaust gas smoke opacity, and dynamic characteristics at different rotational speeds and load conditions. It was established that with an increasing biodiesel content, maintaining the nominal torque required an increase in the cyclic fuel supply, which compensated for the net calorific value of the fuel blend. At the same time, a significant reduction in exhaust gas smoke opacity and soot concentration was observed. A mathematical model of the system “Engine – diesel-biodiesel fuel supply system” was developed and verified, the adequacy of which was confirmed by small deviations between calculated and experimental data. The results demonstrate that adaptive regulation of the fuel blend composition ensures the preservation of the baseline engine performance parameters while improving its environmental characteristics.