Statistical analysis of engine system-level factors for palm biodiesel fuelled diesel engine responses

Abstract

In this study, a 0D/1D gas dynamics numerical model of a single-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engine is used to simulate entire engine cycle from air intake to exhaust product. The engine model is successfully validated against experimental data of both palm biodiesel and fossil diesel for pertinent combustion parameters such as pressure trace, rate of heat release and ignition delay period. This allows rapid system-level thermodynamics simulation of the entire engine. From it, 2000 cases generated from a combination of 13 engine parameters from within the combustion chamber, fuel injector and engine gas flow path, each with four levels were simulated and statistically analysed. Statistically significant independent main effects for outputs such as NOx, soot, brake specific fuel consumption and indicated power were identified using analysis of variance. Eight predictor equations to correlate the engine parameters to the outputs for both palm biodiesel and diesel were also formulated. In all, this study demonstrated the use of a validated simulation model for large parametric studies of engine parameters through the use of statistical analysis. The outcomes of this study can help in the design and optimisation of biodiesel fuelled diesel engines.