TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing the viscosity of diesel fuel with electrorheological effect
AU - Du, Enpeng
AU - Tang, H.
AU - Huang, K.
AU - Tao, R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by STWA.
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Improving engine efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions are extremely important. Here the authors report their finding, using electrorheology to reduce the viscosity of diesel fuel. Diesel is made of many different molecules, 75% small molecules and 25% large molecules. In addition, it contains other nanoscale particles, such as sulfur. Therefore, diesel can be regarded as a liquid suspension. Under a strong electric field, the large molecules aggregate into small clusters, yielding a lower viscosity. For high-sulfur diesel, the applied electric field is around 1 kV/mm. However, for ultra-low-sulfur diesel, the required electric field must be around 2 kV/mm. This viscosity reduction leads to finer mist in fuel atomization, improving the combustion, and engine efficiency.
AB - Improving engine efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions are extremely important. Here the authors report their finding, using electrorheology to reduce the viscosity of diesel fuel. Diesel is made of many different molecules, 75% small molecules and 25% large molecules. In addition, it contains other nanoscale particles, such as sulfur. Therefore, diesel can be regarded as a liquid suspension. Under a strong electric field, the large molecules aggregate into small clusters, yielding a lower viscosity. For high-sulfur diesel, the applied electric field is around 1 kV/mm. However, for ultra-low-sulfur diesel, the required electric field must be around 2 kV/mm. This viscosity reduction leads to finer mist in fuel atomization, improving the combustion, and engine efficiency.
KW - Electrorheological
KW - energy harvesting
KW - viscosity of diesel
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U2 - 10.1177/1045389X11421819
DO - 10.1177/1045389X11421819
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:82955189266
SN - 1045-389X
VL - 22
SP - 1713
EP - 1716
JO - Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures
JF - Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures
IS - 15
ER -