Impact of Ethanol–Diesel Blend on CI Engine Performance and Emissions

Mieczysław Sikora (), Piotr Orliński and Mateusz Bednarski
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Mieczysław Sikora: Faculty of Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
Piotr Orliński: Faculty of Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
Mateusz Bednarski: Faculty of Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of adding ethanol to diesel fuel on particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in the Perkins 854E compression-ignition engine. Tests were carried out under European Stationary Cycle (ESC) conditions using the Horiba Mexa 1230 PM analyzer (HORIBA, Ltd., Kyoto, Japan) for particulate measurement and the AVL CEB II analyzer (AVL, Graz, Austria) for NO x concentration. The engine under investigation featured direct injection, turbocharging, a common-rail fuel supply system, and complied with the Stage IIIB/Tier 4 emission standard. Two types of fuel were used: conventional diesel fuel (DF) and diesel with a 10% ethanol additive by volume (DFE10). In addition to emissions measurements, key engine performance parameters, such as torque, effective power, and fuel consumption, were analyzed. The ESC test was specifically chosen to isolate the influence of the fuel’s properties by avoiding the effects of changes in combustion control strategies. Due to the lower calorific value of DFE10 compared to DF, a slight increase in fuel consumption was observed under certain operating conditions. Nevertheless, overall engine performance remained largely unchanged. The test results showed that the use of DFE10 led to a significant 44% reduction in particulate matter emissions and a moderate 2.2% decrease in NO x emissions compared to conventional diesel fuel. These findings highlight the potential of ethanol as a diesel fuel additive to reduce harmful exhaust emissions without negatively affecting the performance of modern diesel engines.

Keywords: ethanol; specific emission of toxic components; ESC test (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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