Engine performance and emission characteristics of hydrotreated vegetable oil in light duty diesel engines

•Iso-HVO has many merits of physico-chemical properties to use instead of biodiesel.•Various blending ratios of iso-HVO and BD were tested for engine performances.•Iso-HVO blended fuels have better power and fuel efficiency than BD blended fuels.•Iso-HVO blended fuels showed low THC and CO, but similar NOx and PM to BD.•Biofuels showed decrease of particle concentrations at all size range than petro-diesel. Biodiesel, of which typical material is known as FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester), has some demerits such as high density and low caloric value despite better reduction on emission and lubricity when compared to petro-diesel (petroleum-derived diesel). Iso-HVO (isomerized-hydrotreated biodiesel), on the other hand, has strong competitive advantages that overcome such weak points of conventional biodiesel. The study of engine performance was carried out to compare iso-HVO with BD (Biodiesel). The test samples were prepared 16 kinds of fuels, which are petro-diesel and 2%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50% of BD, HVO, and iso-HVO blended diesel, respectively. The engine performances and emission were tested on engine dynamometer and chassis dynamometer with 1.5l diesel engine and passenger car, for evaluating maximum power, fuel consumption, and emission, especially PM (Particulate Matter) and NOx. Iso-HVO has much better engine performance than BD and slightly better than HVO, but slightly worse than petro-diesel. On the emission, iso-HVO and HVO blended diesel emit less THC and CO than BD, even though iso-HVO blended diesel emits similar level of NOx and PM to BD blended. All three kinds of 50% blended biofuels showed that the decrease of particle concentrations at all size range than petro-diesel.