Testing of an engine fuelled with rapeseed oil

Rapeseed oil in a few applications can be used as an engine fuel. Although it has worse properties than its methyl esters, it can be considered as an alternative fuel in engines adapted to its use. The article describes some problems resulting from the use of pure rapeseed oil as a fuel for compression ignition internal combustion engines. Differences between basic physical and chemical properties between diesel oil and rapeseed oil will be discussed and their impact on the theoretical engine performance and emission of pollutants from the exhaust system, with a focus on viscosity of rapeseed oil and the impact of this parameter on the fuel injection process. The basic changes in the engine design to be able to run on the rapeseed oil are discussed. The results of author’s own tests of the engine adapted to operate on the rapeseed oil and its blends with diesel oil carried out on the engine dynamometer test bench are presented. The theoretical assumptions presented in the Introduction were tested experimentally in the dynamometric test. Combination of higher density of rapeseed oil and its smaller stoichiometric value caused by the presence of oxygen and a smaller share of hydrogen in the fuel, means that a larger mass of fuel can be injected into the charge compressed into the cylinder. Thanks to this, the engine powered by rapeseed oil and diesel oil can reach similar powers.

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Opracowanie rekordu w ramach umowy 509/P-DUN/2018 ze środków MNiSW przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę (2018).