Study on Particulate Structure Characteristics of Diesel Engines Fueled with a Methanol/Biodiesel Blend

[Image: see text] Methanol and biodiesel are both alternative fuels of diesel engines. In order to study the effects of methanol on the microstructure of particulates produced from the diesel engine fueled with a methanol/biodiesel blend, the methanol/biodiesel blend fuels with 0, 10, and 20% methanol were prepared (named B100, BM10, and BM20, respectively). SEM and TG experiments have been carried out, and the structural and oxidative characteristics of particulates for the methanol/biodiesel blend were investigated. The results showed that the average diameters of B100, BM10, and BM20 particulates were 35, 32.6, and 31.2 nm, respectively. With the increase of methanol blending ratio, the H(2)O and SOF (soluble organic fraction) contents were increased and the soot content in particulates was reduced slightly. In addition, the activation energy of the particulate pyrolysis reaction was reduced with the increase of methanol mixing ratio, and the oxidative reaction of particulates was easier to carry out.