Experimental study of the effect of structural differences in the composition of kerosene-like blended fuels on low-temperature autoignition in a constant volume combustion chamber

The cold start performance of compression ignition engines at high altitudes is expected to be improved by means of fuel design involving kerosene-like blended fuels. In this study, the autoignition characteristics of ten blended fuels with different chemical compositions and physical properties were investigated in a constant volume combustion chamber. Steady-state conditions in a low thermal atmosphere are considered at varying temperatures (723, 773, 823 K), pressures (2.2, 2.8, 4 MPa), injection pressures (40, 60, 80 MPa), and injection pulse widths (1.5, 2.5, 5 ms). The relative importance and relevance of the physical and chemical properties of the fuel to the ignition delay were evaluated based on characteristic parameters e.g. total ignition delay, physical delay, chemical delay, combustion delay, pressure and heat release rate evolution. It was found that adding etheroxygenated component content to kerosene-like significantly shortened the ignition delay, followed by chain alkanes, naphthenes, and aromatics, in that order. The effect of oxidation chemistry changes on the ignition performance of fuels in low-temperature-pressure environments is more significant than physical properties. As the thermal atmosphere or fuel activity intensifies, the percentage of physical delay in the total ignition delay gradually exceeds that of chemical delay as the main part, and the variability in the ignition qualities of fuels with different physicochemical properties diminishes. There is a good linear correlation between ignition delay and cetane number (ranging from 44 to 60), density, viscosity, and recovery temperature, whilst the role of cetane number and density is more prominent.