Towards Sustainable Development Goals: Application of Hydrogen-Enriched Mahua Biodiesel/Diesel Blend to Dual-Fuel Diesel Engine

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of hydrogen (H2 ) enrichment on the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of a dual-fuel diesel engine operated with Mahua biodiesel/diesel blend (BDf20), in which H2 is injected into the intake manifold at flow rates of 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 L min−1 under varying engine loads. As a result, the optimum engine performance is achieved at 10 L min−1 H2 . At a peak load of 5.02 kW, BDf20 + H2 (10 L min−1 ) improves brake thermal efficiency (BTE) by 16.75%, and reduces brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) by 10.83% compared to conventional diesel. For emission characteristics, unburnt hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) decrease by 42.65, 44.74, and 20.91%, respectively, although NOx emissions increased by 17.1% due to higher combustion temperatures. Moreover, combustion characteristics show a 9.91% rise in peak in-cylinder pressure, a 20.82% increase in heat release rate, and an 8.26% longer ignition delay period. The results confirm the effectiveness of H2 enrichment in improving combustion performance while significantly reducing pollutant emissions, showing that combining H2 with biodiesel enhances the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by advancing clean and renewable energy solutions.