Modelling and simulation of performance, combustion and emission of a diesel engine fueled with renewable dimethyl ether-ethanol blend

Due to price hikes, stringent emission regulations
(Net Zero emissions by 2050), and global climate change issues,
researchers are driven to explore sustainable fuels. This study
reports on 1-dimensional (1D) modelling and simulation of
performance, combustion and emission of a direct injection
diesel engine using dimethyl ether (DME)-ethanol blend as one
of the carbon-footprint compliance fuels. DME can be sourced
from sustainable feedstocks, which are considered one of the
cleanest fuels due to their inherent oxygen content in the
molecular structure. Like DME, bioethanol can also be sourced
from renewable feedstocks and is considered an oxygenated
fuel. For the 1D modelling and simulation, GT-Suite Software
was used. Using DME 50%+Ethanol 50% (henceforth termed
DME50), the modelling and simulation were performed for
performance, combustion and emission characteristics. The
different performance, combustion and emissions data were
compared with those of base diesel fuel. The results showed that
DME50 outperforms diesel fuel in terms of engine performance,
combustion, and emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions,
carbon dioxide (CO2) in this investigation.