Production of nanofuels containing high energy capacity nanohybrid particles and investigation of their combustion-fuel performance

Boron, with its high theoretical calorific value, is one of the fuels whose potential for use in alternative fuel applications has been most widely investigated. However, the problematic oxidation behavior prevents the release of this heat and does not allow complete combustion. In this thesis, the focus has been on the fabrication of boron/nanocatalyst nanohybrid nanostructures decorated with combustion-facilitating nanocatalysts and their effects on the combustion behavior and emission performance of conventional fuels. The boron/catalyst nanohybrid structures were fabricated by combining metal oxide nanocatalysts produced by sol-gel technique using a low-cost ultrasonication technique. Structural characterization of all particles was carried out by SEM and XRD techniques. XPS and BET analysis were also used for elementel analysis and surface area measurements of the nanocatalysts. The combustion behavior of gasoline-based nanofuels prepared at 2.5 % and 7.5 % particle load was characterized by droplet-scale combustion experiments in a combustion chamber monitored by an optical system consisting of a high-speed camera and a thermal camera. The engine and emission performances were tested in a three-cylinder Lombardini LDW 1003 diesel engine by preparing diesel fuel blends with 250 ppm particulate load. At 2.5 % particle load, the lowest ignition delay was ~ 0.000714 s for GA/AB/LNBM1 nanofuel, while the highest flame temperature was recorded for GA/AB/MF nanofuel, which increased the flame temperature by 14.58 % compared to GA/AB/BM nanofuel. At 7.5 % particle load, GA/AB/LNM1 fuel increased the aggregate temperature by 111.5 % compared to GA/AB/BM. The lowest fuel consumption was recorded for D100+250AB/LAF2 at 15 Nm and decreased by 10.83% compared to D100. The highest thermal efficiency was recorded for D100+250MF at 45 Nm and increased by 28.87 % compared to D100. The lowest NOx emissions were recorded for D100+250AB/LAF2 and D100+250AB/MF at 60 Nm and decreased by 12.59 % compared to D100. For all fuels containing boron/nanocatalyst hybrid structures, the lowest HC emissions were recorded at 15 Nm and decreased by 61.1 % compared to D100.