Effects of Different-sized Aluminium Oxide Nanoparticles on Diesel Engine Performance using Blends of Diesel and Waste Plastic Oil

The issue of dealing with plastic waste, as well as the lack of supply and increasing price of petroleum fuels, may be addressed by extracting fuel from plastic waste. An experiment was conducted in which a diesel engine operated at a steady speed while adding different concentrations of diesel and waste plastic oil (WPO) with variable average particle sizes of aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles (NPs). Two samples of 25 and 80 nm Al₂O₃ NPs were ultrasonically spread in a WPO25 blend comprising 25% WPO and 75% diesel. The experimental data revealed that when diesel was replaced with WPO25, engine performance dropped, and emission levels rose across the board. However, it was shown that incorporating Al₂O₃ NPs with sizes of 25 and 80 nm into WPO25 decreased the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) by 10.9 and 8.2 percent, respectively, and the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) increased by 11 .2 and 7.9 percent, respectively. By adding 25 and 80 nm sized NPs to the WPO25 blend, the amount of hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxide (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO), and smoke opacity in the air was cut down. Although all particle sizes helped to reduce emissions, smaller particles (25 nm) were more effective than larger particles (80 nm). By including both sizes of NPs into the combustion process, we were able to improve ignition delay (ID), rate of pressure rise, cylinder pressure, and heat release rate (HRR). Incorporating NPs with an average size of 25 nm has been shown to improve catalytic activity, leading to increased engine performance and reduced exhaust emissions.