Modelling and Simulation of Performance, Combustion and Emission of a Diesel Engine Fueled with Renewable Dimethyl Ether-Ethanol Blend

Due to price hikes, stringent emission regulations (Net Zero emissions by 2050), and global climate change issues, researchers are driven to explore sustainable fuels. This study reports on 1-dimensional (1D) modelling and simulation of performance, combustion and emission of a direct injection diesel engine using dimethyl ether (DME)-ethanol blend as one of the carbon-footprint compliance fuels. DME can be sourced from sustainable feedstocks, which are considered one of the cleanest fuels due to their inherent oxygen content in the molecular structure. Like DME, bioethanol can also be sourced from renewable feedstocks and is considered an oxygenated fuel. For the 1D modelling and simulation, GT-Suite Software was used. Using DME 50%+Ethanol 50% (henceforth termed DME50), the modelling and simulation were performed for performance, combustion and emission characteristics. The investigation aims to establish the reasons for higher power, higher efficiency, lower nitrogen oxides (NO), and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with DME50. The simulation results were validated with those of experimental results. The results showed that DME50 increased efficiency and power and reduced harmful <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{CO}_{2}$</tex> and NO emissions. The simulation results were within the acceptable ranges with experimental results.