**Role of Emulsified Fuel in the Present IC Engines – Need of Alodine EC Ethanol Corrosion Resistant Coating for Fuel Injection System**

M. P. Ashok

*Department of Mechanical Engineering, FEAT, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India* 

## **1. Introduction**

The present environment gets polluted day by day, due to the increase in industries, automobiles, etc., Eventhough, government has given strict rules and regulations against the environment pollution, practically there are lot of problems to implement the same by the users and production units, which leads to the result of global warming, acid rain, damaging of ozone layer affecting the green house effect and human health, etc. The pathetic information is that, the harmful pollutant does not allow the children also from their birth itself.

Due to the depletion of fossil fuel and its dangerous harmful emissions, the entire universe has given much attention for identifying an alternate fuel for the current existing engine. Also the fuel to be identified must have the property of fuel to the current existing engine and much free from the harmful pollution, emitted by IC (Internal Combustion) engine. Based on that, many research works have been carried out.

Present days emulsified fuel is much familiar for the IC Engines. Particularly ethanol based emulsion process fuels are much familiar, due to the depletion of fossil fuels. Entire universe has given much attention & many research works are going on based on the alternate fuel to the IC engines.

Based on that, emulsification technique is one of the possible approaches to identify an alternate fuel. Particularly /presently, the bio fuel from ethanol addition to the fossil fuels, play a vital role to run the current existing IC Engine, with best performance and fewer harmful emissions.

Presently the maximum blending of 50% Ethanol to 50% Diesel (50E: 50D), research work has been carried out by M.P.Ashok, academician, researcher and scientist {(in the field of Water-in-Oil) W/O–Emulsion} at Annamalai University, India, during the year 2007.

Based on the test result of Phase-I, it is possible to run the engine at 50% blending of ethanol, in the normal fuel injection system for a single cylinder, DI (Direct Injection) oriented engine.

Role of Emulsified Fuel in the Present IC Engines –

**2. Role of emulsified fuel** 

**2.2 Use of ethanol in CI engine** 

fuels in diesel engines.

been considered.

with hydrophilic core.

**2.1 Need of alcohol to the IC engine** 

Need of Alodine EC Ethanol Corrosion Resistant Coating for Fuel Injection System 9

and will increase the life span of the current fuel injection system (single and common system) available in the exiting engines, which is running under emulsified fuel category.

Eugene Ecklund E., et.al, (1984), have given a detailed report on the concept of using alcohol fuels as alternative fuels to diesel fuel in diesel engine. They have also explained the different techniques for adding alcohol to the fossil fuels. In this case, blending of alcohol in the emulsion method has been clearly given and the merits and demerits of using alcohol as an alternate fuel are also explained. Their research has opened a whole new range of possibilities for using alcohols in transportation vehicles and has stated that the importance of this work will increase as the proportion of diesel-powered highway vehicles increases

Ajav E. A. and Akingbehin O.A. (2002), have made a study on some of the fuel properties of ethanol blended with diesel fuel (six blends: 5, 10.15 . . .). Some properties have been experimentally determined to establish their suitability for use in CI engines. The results showed that both the relative density and viscosity of the blends decreased as the ethanol content in the blends has increased. Based on the findings of their report, blends with 5 &10% ethanol content are found to have acceptable fuel properties for use as supplementary

Alan.C.Hansen, et.al, (2004), have given a detailed review on ethanol-diesel fuel blends. They have stated that ethanol is an attractive alternative fuel because it is a renewable biobased resource and it is oxygenated, thereby providing the potential to reduce the emissions in CI engines. Also, the properties and specifications of ethanol blended with diesel fuel have been discussed. Special emphasis has been placed on the factor of commercial use of the blends. The effect of the fuel on engine performance, durability and emissions has also

Santhanalakshmi.J and Maya.S.I, (1997), state about Span-80 and Tween-80 as the two non ionic surfactants, which could be used for preparing the emulsified fuel. Micellisation of surfactants in solvents of low dielectric constant differs from those in aqueous media due to the differences in the solute-solute, solute-solvent and solvent-solvent interactions. They have also explained about the solvent effects of the non ionic surfactants. They have stated that surfactants in non aqueous and non polar solution form reverse in order the micelles

M.P.Ashok., et al., (2007) have conducted a research to identify the best ratio from the emulsified fuel ratios and compare with diesel fuel, based on its performance and emission characteristics. Water–in–Oil type emulsion method has been implemented to produce the

and as diesel fuel supply becomes more limited or degrades in quality.

**2.3 Use of surfactant to prepare the emulsified fuel** 

**2.4 Selection of best emulsified fuel ratio** 

Another point to be noted in this case is that, the engine gives better performance but emits more harmful emissions, at the higher rate for the emulsified fuel than the diesel fuel.

Further investigation has been carried out by the same author and identified the solution for reducing harmful emission by adding oxygen enriched additive Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) to the same emulsified fuel for increasing the cetane number of the fuel, with the selected emulsified fuel ratio of 50D: 50E.

Based on the test result of Phase-II, it is possible to run the engine at 50% blending of ethanol, in the normal fuel injection system for a single cylinder, DI (Direct Injection) oriented engine. Also, point to be noted in this case is that, the engine gives better performance and poor harmful emissions for the oxygen enriched additive added emulsified fuel than diesel and surfactant only added emulsified fuel.

Further investigation has been carried out by the same author, for selecting the best oxygen enriched additive among the three additives, namely Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), Di-Ethyl Ether (DEE) and Di-Methyl Ether (DME).

Based on the test result of Phase-III, it is possible to run the engine at 50% blending of ethanol, in the normal fuel injection system. Points to be noted in this case is that, the engine gives better performance and poor harmful emissions, for the oxygen enriched additive added emulsified fuel than the diesel and surfactant only added emulsified fuel.

Next research work has been carried out by the same author, introducing water as a fuel to the selected ratio of the emulsified fuel. Engine test report shows that, better performance and fewer emissions have been obtained.

Continuation of Phase-IV results, it is understood that, the engine could be run with the selected best ratio of the emulsified fuel along with water addition (small volume of water directly added to the emulsified fuel). The outcome of the test result have been given that, best in performance, lower emission obtained by the water, surfactant, oxygen enriched additive added emulsified fuel. Normally ethanol addition based fossil fuel cost is less than the normal fossil fuel cost. Further addition of water to the emulsified fuel, reduces the cost of the fuel much more. So, considering the cost economics, water added emulsified fuel is good for present engine operation.

The above mentioned outcome results, has given the details of best performance, poor harmful emissions and water addition using the best selected emulsified fuel ratio, based on ethanol addition. Also, it has been proved that the emulsified fuel is suitable for current existing engine.

But considering the part of corrosion, fossil fuel is already having the property of corrosion. Moreover, as ethanol is basically corrosive in nature, addition of ethanol fuel makes the engine components further more corroded. Also, some of the research works have already proved that ethanol fuel makes the engine parts to get more damaged.

Based on this, the present research work has been dealt for making Alodine corrosion coating for all the inner parts of the fuel injection system (normal fuel injection system used in the current (Internal Combustion) IC engine). The Alodine EC (Electro Ceramic) Coating the only and easy solution, which gives remedy for the corrosion caused by the emulsified fuel. This micro level Alodine coating based fuel injection system is much cheaper in cost and will increase the life span of the current fuel injection system (single and common system) available in the exiting engines, which is running under emulsified fuel category.
