Influence of nanoadditives on the performance and emission characteristics of a CI engine fuelled with diesel, biodiesel, and blends - a review

Amalgamation of nanoparticles with the conventional/alternative fuels is an attractive approach which can enhance the working characteristics of CI engines. The critical issues such as stability, clogging, increased NOx, and high consumption rate attached with the long-term usage of diesel/biodiesel and with their blends restricts their usage as a potential substitute in the diesel engine. This review work emphasizes the research economy on utilizing the application of different metal oxide, magnetic, carbon and hybridized based nano-materials as a fuel-borne additive. Nano fuel comprises a micro-sized particle ranging from 1 to 100nm in size doped inside the base fluid (diesel/biodiesel) using the process of ultrasonication. The nano fuel has a higher surface to volume ratio, and enhanced heat and mass transfer properties act as a catalyst, improves the combustion process and the performance characteristics such as thermal efficiency, specific fuel consumptions of the diesel engine. Based on the outcome collected from the previously published work, it has been concluded that mixing of nanoadditives has a significant effect on the engine parameters. The review also highlights that the improvement in the injection timing, enhancement in the physicochemical properties and cold flow properties such as viscosity, calorific value, flash point, fire point is also noted depending on the dosage of nanoparticles.