Effect of using bioethanol as fuel on start-up and warm-up exhaust emissions from a diesel power generator

The present work investigates the effects of bioethanol as fuel additive on a diesel power generator's exhaust emission (especially under transient conditions) characteristics, during the start-up followed by idling and warm-up periods, from no load to loaded cases up to 50% at ambient conditions. Experiments with diesel/bioethanol blends in 10% and 15% proportions (denoted as BE10 and BE15, respectively) were achieved in a diesel power generator following the practical operating conditions of the gen-sets. Regarding emissions, CO increased first when bioethanol is used during start-up at no load, then it starts to decrease by increasing bioethanol fraction in diesel and load applied. Unburnt HC emissions were also measured as highest for all fuels tested during start-up, while they were slightly higher for BE15 than others in the rest of the test. NOx was highest with petroleum diesel, while it was lowest with BE15 at start-up. Despite higher NOx was measured with BE10, those of petroleum diesel and BE15 were similar during warm-up together with applying load. Smoke opacity was lowest in BE15; however, BE10 was highest. By applying load, it increased and the highest NOx was measured with BE10, while the lowest was with BE15.