An experimental assessment of prospective oxygenated additives on the diverse characteristics of diesel engine powered with waste tamarind biodiesel

Rapid depletion of petroleum resources, surge in fuel prices and stringent emission norms play a key role on economic development of a country like India in terms of energy efficiency, which attracts the researchers to search for novel alternative fuel for diesel. The work reported here focuses on the effect of various oxygenated additives such as diethyl ether, dimethyl ether and dimethyl carbonate to 20% tamarind seed methyl ester (TSME 20) biodiesel blend of different concentrations (6% and 12%) on volume basis to examine engine characteristics. The test results revealed that 12% diethyl ether added TSME20 is shown considerable enhancement in brake thermal efficiency, which is 4.22% higher over tamarind biodiesel blend. Similarly, TSME20 DEE 12 has shown significant reductions in harmful engine tailpipe emissions such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, oxides of nitrogen and smoke opacity which are noted to be about 10.68%, 33.33%, 10.33% and 27.72% respectively when compared to diesel fuel at full load. Further, the DIESEL-RK theoretical simulation results are compared with the experimental values, conducted at the same operating conditions and it is inferred that 12% diethyl ether addition to TSME 20 has shown promising engine characteristics both experimentally and theoretically. [Display omitted] •Enhancement in engine performance parameters with oxygenated additives.•Diethyl ether 12% addition to TSME 20 had shown enhancement in thermal efficiency.•CO, NOX and smoke opacity is considerably lower for oxygenated fuel additive TSME20 blend over diesel.•Significant improvement in combustion characteristics of tamarind biodiesel with DEE addition.•Experimental results are validated with the results obtained from the DIESEL-RK software.