Study of the performance of diesel/alcohol formulations in a diesel engine
Energy. Diesel. Alcohol. Additivation. Power curves.
Since the dawn of civilization, humankind has made use of the energy resources available in nature to make its existence more comfortable. Over the time, the mastery of new technologies culminated in a diversified energy matrix, although mostly fulfilled by so-called fossil fuels. Among the main sources of energy used in Brazil, diesel oil stands out due to its wide use in road transport, locomotives and ships. Despite its relevance to the transport sector at the national level, its contribution to the climate imbalances currently observed in the world is undeniable. Inside this perspective, although it is challenging to reconcile the supply of global energy needs with the preservation of the environment, its ability to reduce undesirable emissions makes diesel/alcohol blends an attractive option. Based on this premise, the present study has the general objective of developing dieselB10/butanol/methanol (DBM) and dieselB10/butanol/ethanol (DBE) blends for use in real engines. The formulation compositions will be determined from the construction of balanced diagrams prepared with the aforementioned pseudoternary mixtures. The balanced phase data obtained will be used to verify the degree of predictability of models such as NRTL and UNIQUAC. The prepared formulas will be submitted to density, viscosity, corrosion, pour point, mist, clogging and vapor pressure tests, in addition to being used in the construction of power curves in a diesel engine.