Enhancing Diesel Engine Performance and Emissions Using Alumina Nanoparticle-Blended Waste Plastic Oil Biodiesel: An Experimental and Predictive Approach
Kumlachew Yeneneh, Gadisa Sufe
Abstract
This study investigates how adding alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles to waste plastic oil (WPO) biodiesel may increase diesel engine performance and reduce emissions of pollutants. WPO, which is made by pyrolyzing plastic waste, shows promise as a replacement for conventional diesel fuel as the hunt for sustainable energy sources heats up. However, high emissions and suboptimal thermal efficiency make it difficult to use in practice. AlO 3 nanoparticles were used to overcome these restrictions to improve fuel combustion, increase brake thermal efficiency, and reduce hazardous emissions. A single-cylinder diesel engine was used for experimental assessments using a variety of fuel compositions, such as WPO, biodiesel–diesel blends, and fuels enhanced with nanoparticles. When 50 ppm AlO 3 nanoparticles were added, brake thermal efficiency increased by 7.2%, but NOx emissions slightly increased by 6.08%. Conversely, nanoparticle-enhanced WPO biodiesel significantly decreased emissions of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide by 37.84 and 50%, respectively. Additionally, there was a notable 38.21% decrease in smoke emissions. Additionally, an ANN model was developed to forecast engine performance and emission profiles, and it showed remarkable accuracy with correlation coefficients ( R ) above 0.999 for every parameter evaluated. These findings support the feasibility of using nanoparticle-enhanced WPO biodiesel as a sustainable fuel alternative, enabling the cleaner and more effective operation of diesel engines.