Effect of boron nanoparticles on water-in-diesel emulsion as fuel for CI engine performance and emission characteristics

The alarming environmental concerns and stringent emission regulations necessitate the exploration of alternative fuels that balance automotive engine performance and sustainability. This novel study on boron nanoparticle addition in water-in-diesel emulsion (WIDE) explores its effect on the performance and emission characteristics of compression ignition (CI) engine. WIDE fuel samples were prepared using 75:21:4 volume ratio of diesel, deionized water and Brij-30 surfactant, with boron nanoparticles mixed at concentrations of 50, 100 and 150 ppm. A single cylinder, water-cooled, direct injection diesel engine was employed to evaluate brake thermal efficiency (BTE), brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and emissions including NO, CO, CO2, HC and smoke opacity. Results indicate that while WIDE exhibited lower NO (21.3%), CO (24.6%), CO2 (23.8%), HC (18.5%) and smoke opacity (25.8%) compared to diesel, the addition of boron nanoparticles further enhanced combustion efficiency. WIDE, with 150 ppm boron demonstrated the most balanced performance, achieving a BTE reduction of only 6.8% relative to diesel while reducing NO by 15.3% and improving net diesel consumption by 11.3%. The findings highlight the potential of boron-enhanced WIDE fuels to improve environment sustainability without significant engine efficiency trade-offs.