In order to reduce diesel particulate matter
emissions, the polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODE) were blended with diesel
fuel in volume ratio of 10%, 20% and 30%, which was marked as P10, P20 and P30
sequentially. The effects of diesel/PODE blends on combustion and emission
characteristics were experimentally investigated in a singlecylinder
light duty diesel engine, and the volatility and oxidation characteristics of
blended fuels were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis method. The
results show that P10, P20 and P30 fuels have good stability at room
temperature and the blend fuels with blending ratio above 20% will appear turbid
phenomenon at 05 ℃. The
viscosity of dieselPODE blends declines gradually with
the increase of blending ratio and temperature. The activation energy decreases
and the comprehensive combustion index improves with the increase of the
blending ratio. Compared with diesel fuel, the initial weight loss temperatures
of P10, P20 and P30 fuels decrease by 3.3, 4.3, 5.3 ℃
and the initial combustion temperatures of those fuels decrease by 9.4, 17.8,
24.2 ℃ respectively. With the increase of blending
ratio, the ignition delay period shortens, the heat release rate and the rate
of pressure rise curves move forward, and the maximum cylinder pressure
increases. At the rated condition, the smokes of P10, P20 and P30 fuels reduce
by 26.1%, 31.2% and 34.8% respectively. The particle mass concentration of
blended fuels under different particle sizes decreases to some extent and its
peak distribution moves to the small particle size.