Harnessing energy from waste: Engine performance and emission behaviour of pyrolysis oil

In recent years, waste-to-fuel technologies have gained interest due to both environmental and economic concerns. Pyrolysis offers a sustainable method for converting waste tires and plastics into high-energy hydrocarbons. In this study, a small-scale laboratory pyrolysis system was fabricated to convert waste tires and plastics into pyrolysis oils. The reactor's performance and efficiency were assessed, and the produced oils were analyzed based on ASTM standards to determine their suitability as engine fuels. Various fuel properties, including density, viscosity, heating values, flash and fire points, pour and cloud points, cetane number, GC-MS, FTIR spectroscopy, and elemental composition (CHONS) were examined. The findings indicated that the properties of both tire- and plastic-derived oils closely resemble those of diesel fuel. The novelty of this investigation lies in the comprehensive evaluation of fuel properties and their relationship with molecular mechanisms influencing compression ignition engine's performance, combustion and exhaust emissions. Both GC-MS and FTIR analyses indicate the details of alkanes, alkenes and aromatics, ranging carbon numbers from 6 to 33. Additionally, engine performance and exhaust emissions were evaluated using fuel blends containing 10 % tire oil with 90 % diesel (10T) and 10 % plastic oil with 90 % diesel (10P), and the results were compared to pure diesel. Simultaneous reductions in both CO and NOx emissions with only 10 % bends (10P and 10T) is additional novelty of this investigation. Although 10P and 10T demonstrated some good results, further investigation under additional engine loads is required.