title: Increased hot-plate ignition probability for nanoparticle-laden diesel fuel.
abstract: The present study attempts to improve the ignition properties of diesel fuel by investigating the influence of adding aluminum and aluminum oxide nanoparticles to diesel. As part of this study, droplet ignition experiments were carried out atop a heated hot plate. Different types of fuel mixtures were used; both particle size (15 and 50 nm) as well as the volume fraction (0%, 0.1%, and 0.5%) of nanoparticles added to diesel were varied. For each type of fuel mixture, several droplets were dropped on the hot plate from a fixed height and under identical conditions, and the probability of ignition of that fuel was recorded based on the number of droplets that ignited. These experiments were repeated at several temperatures over the range of 688-768 degrees C. It was observed that the ignition probability for the fuel mixtures that contained nanoparticles was significantly higher than that of pure diesel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, USA.
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tyagi
authors.forename: Patrick E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Phelan
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prasher
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.forename: Taewoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jose R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arentzen
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D005742:Gasoline; D006358:Hot Temperature; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005742:Gasoline; D000535:Aluminum