Study of combustion characteristics of a compression ignition engine fuelled with dimethyl ether

This paper presents the combustion characteristics of a light-duty direct-injection diesel engine operating on dimethyl ether (DME). The indicated pressure diagrams and injector needle lifts are recorded and the combustion characteristics are demonstrated and compared with those of an engine operated on diesel fuel. The experimental and calculated results show that the DME engine has a longer delay of injection and duration of injection, a lower maximum cylinder pressure and rate of pressure rise, as well as a shorter ignition delay compared with those of a diesel engine. The DME engine has a low mechanical load and combustion noise, a fast rate of diffusion combustion and a shorter combustion duration than that of a diesel engine. It has the ideal pattern of compression ignition engine heat release.