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88 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
moNOxide emissions. There is no correlation observed between the spray behavior of the fuel and the structure of the aromatics. However, the structure of aromatics highly influences the engine emissions. Single-ring
monocyclic aromatics show
promising results compared
with single-ring polycyclic
and double-ring polycyclic
aromatics due to the high
degree of unsaturation of these
aromatics. A 10% blending
of the single-ring monocyclic
aromatics in the base fuel is
advisable due to its overall
better performance in terms of
fuel atomization, performance,
and lower emissions compared
with other blending ratios (5%
and 15%) and aromatic types. The acoustic emissions are significantly lower for 10% blending of single-ring monocyclic aromatics compared with diesel fuel. The NOx emissions are thermally influenced in a compression ignition engine exhaust, and higher in-cylinder temperature leads to higher NOx emissions. Ethylbenzene and toluene have shown better results compared with other tested aromatics due to their better calorific value, atomization, cetane number, and structure. Similarly, 1-methylnaphthalene, tetralin, and indene were the worst performers as a diesel fuel surrogate. Based on the present studies, it can
be concluded that the variation in the aromatics content has a high impact on diesel engine performance. It is also advisable to further reduce the aromatic contents by adding some
lubricative additives with low aromatic contents to the base fuel to design better fuel with lower emissions and improved performance.
A significant reduction in pollutant emissions can lead to substantial public health benefits such as the reduction in premature deaths, heart attacks, respiratory problems, and lost workdays/schooldays, and other improvements in the economy. A reduction in NOx, particulate, and gaseous
emissions will offer tangible economic, societal, and environmental benefits by creating jobs, reducing societal chaos, and producing a cleaner environment. It will also enhance affordable healthcare in the long run.
Including me, Prof. Sudarshan Kumar from IIT Bombay, Dr Bhupendra Khandelwal from the University of Sheffield, UK, and research scholars from both the institutions worked on this collaborative research project under the UKIERI scheme. Along with the assessment of these low aromatic fuels in diesel engines, these fuels were also tested on laboratory- scale gas turbine combustor and in cars.
The blending content (5%–
10%–15%) of aromatics in base fuel significantly impacts the properties of blends. The spray pattern of the aromatic blended fuel affects the engine performance and emission profile.