Energy 197 (2020) 117233

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Energy
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/energy

Experimental study of effects of exhaust gas recirculation on

combustion, performance, and emissions of DME-biodiesel fueled
engine
Chunhua Sun a, Yu Liu a, Xinqi Qiao a, *, Dehao Ju a, **, Qing Tang a, Xiaoyuan Fang a,
Feng Zhou b
a
Key Laboratory of Power Machinery and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
b
Zhejiang Marine Development Research Institute, Zhoushan Zhejiang, 316000, China

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The effects of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on the combustion, performance, and emissions of a six-
Received 30 April 2019 cylinder turbocharged common-rail dimethyl ether engine with biodiesel blends were experimentally
Received in revised form investigated. The proportions of biodiesel were 0% (B0), 5% (B5), 10% (B10), 15% (B15) and 20% (B20) by
3 February 2020
weight, and the effect of the engine load was considered. The results indicate that a higher EGR rate
Accepted 22 February 2020
Available online 29 February 2020
increases the ignition delay and combustion duration. The peak rate of heat release increases as the EGR
rate increases at low loads but decreases at high loads. The present investigation shows that the EGR
strategy is effective for suppressing NOx formation and the NOx emissions approximately linearly
Keywords:
DME
decrease as the EGR rate increases. The retardation of the combustion phase by external EGR effectively
Biodiesel reduces the rate of pressure increase. The effect of the biodiesel proportion on the combustion and
Engine performance of an engine is complex, and the B5 blend showed the shortest ignition delay and the
EGR highest brake thermal efficiency. The influence of the biodiesel proportion on the EGR is not obvious. The
disadvantages of EGR and biodiesel addition include the resultant increases in the CO and HC emissions
and the particle number concentration.
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Dimethyl ether (DME), which is mass-produced industrially, is a
promising alternative fuel for diesel engines [1e3]. Owning to its
simple molecular structure, i.e., CeOeC with no CeC bond, and its
very high cetane number (>55) and high oxygen content (34.8% by
mass), DME has better spray combustion characteristics and fuel
economy than those of diesel [4,5]. Furthermore, DME is a poten-
tially ultraclean fuel that can be combusted with no smoke and low
particulate matter (PM) emissions; in addition, via high exhaust gas
recirculation (EGR), the NOx emissions can be controlled to meet
increasingly stringent regulatory standards [6]. However, a few
physical properties of DME prove disadvantageous for its applica-
tion in diesel engines: these properties include its bulk modulus,
low calorific value, and viscosity. The bulk modulus and viscosity
* Corresponding author.
** Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: qiaoxinqi@sjtu.edu.cn (X. Qiao), d.ju@sjtu.edu.cn (D. Ju).
values of DME are much lower than those of diesel, resulting in a
higher pressure, violent pressure fluctuations, and vapor leakage in
the fuel supply system (high pressure pump, common rail, injector)
[7,8]. The operation of an engine using pure DME always entails a
significant consumption of lubrication additives, increased NOx
emissions, and even smoke emissions [9,10]. Blending high-
viscosity fuels, such as biodiesel and polymethoxy dimethyl
ethers, with DME is a.
Realistic alternative [11e14]. Biodiesel, an alternative oxygen-
ated fuel for diesel engines, has gained importance due to its sus-
tainability, good exhaust quality, and biodegradability [15e18]. In a
DME engine, the superior lubricity and high calorific value of bio-
diesel complement the characteristics of DME, and the use of
lubrication additives can be eliminated by blending the biodiesel.
Many studies conducted after 1995 have focused on the spray,
combustion, and emission characteristics of DME engines [19e23].
It has been suggested that modifications of the injection system
(longer injection duration or bigger nozzle hole) might be required
to compensate for the lower heating value of DME [24]. Zhang et al.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117233
0360-5442/© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
2 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233
Nomenclature
ATDC Start of Injection Timing (
CA)
B0 100% DME
B5 95%DMEþ5%Biodiesel
B10 90%DMEþ10%Biodiesel
B15 85%DMEþ15%Biodiesel
BMEP Brake Mean Effective Pressure (MPa)
BSFC Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (g/kWh)
BTE Brake Thermal Efficiency
CA50 Crank Angle Position for 50% Burned Mass Fraction
(
CA ATDC)
CO Carbon Monoxide
[25] studied the injection process of a direct injection (DI) diesel
engine fueled by DME with an in-line pump. They indicated that
the advance angle of the fuel supply should be greater in engines
operating on DME than in those fueled with diesel. The fluctuations
in line pressure, nozzle needle lift, opening time, and closing time
are greater when DME is used than when diesel is used. Yu [26] and
Suh et al. [27] compared the spray characteristics of DME and diesel
in a common-rail fuel injection system at injection pressures of
25 MPa, 40 MPa, and 60 MPa and chamber pressures of atmo-
spheric value and 3 MPa. Their experiments showed that DME has
better spray characteristics, a lower maximum injection rate, and a
shorter fuel injection delay. The physical properties of DME cause it
to combust earlier than diesel and result in a higher combustion
pressure and lower peak heat release values relative to those of
diesel combustion. A DME-fueled engine exhibits soot-free com-
bustion, low hydrocarbon (HC) and CO emissions, and slightly
higher NOx emissions [28]. Ying et al. [29] investigated homoge-
nous charge compression ignition in direct injection (HCCI-DI
combustion) in a DME engine, which is a compromise between
HCCI and conventional direct injection compression ignition (DICI).
The results showed that the operating range during HCCI-DI com-
bustion was extended, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) was
higher and the CO and HC emissions were lower than those values
observed in HCCI combustion. However, the NOx emissions during
the HCCI-DI combustion increased at high loads. Wu et al. [30]
investigated the combustion and emission characteristics of a
turbocharged diesel engine fueled with DME, and considered in-
jection timing, engine speed, and engine load in their study. Their
results showed that the injection timing in DME engines should be
advanced. This would remarkably reduce the NOx emissions of
DME engines compared with those of diesel engines; this reduction
would be more obvious at high engine speeds.
Biodiesel is considered the best substitute for petroleum diesel
due to its environmental friendliness, sustainability, and utilization
in diesel engines with few or no modifications. Buyukkaya [31]
investigated the performance of an engine with biodiesel-diesel
blends (0%, 5%, 20%, and 70% neat rapeseed oil). The results indi-
cated that the use of biodiesel resulted in lower smoke opacity and
higher brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) than those charac-
teristics obtained with the use of diesel fuel. Mofijur [32] studied
the emissions of a diesel engine fueled with cooking biodiesel and
conventional diesel blends. The results indicated that blending
waste cooking biodiesel with conventional diesel reduced the
emissions of CO and PM, but not of NOx.
The aforementioned studies show that it is possible to blend
DME and biodiesel to capitalize on their complementary properties,
but limited research has been conducted in this area. Hyun and
Oguma [33] first studied the spray and exhaust emission
Dp Particle Diameter (nm)
EBSFC Equivalent Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (g/kWh)
EGR Exhaust Gas Recirculation
HC Hydrocarbon
HRR Heat Release Rate (J/
CA)
MPRR The Maximum Cylinder Pressure Rising Rate (MPa/

CA)
n Speed (rpm)
NOx Oxides of Nitrogen
p In-cylinder Pressure (MPa)
Pinj Injection Pressure (MPa)
SOI Start of Injection Timing (
CA)
TDC Top Dead Center (
CA)
characteristics of a diesel engine operating on a blend of plant oil
and DME (50% DME). They observed that DME promoted micro-
explosions during fuel atomization and the combustion and
exhaust emission characteristics of DME-blended plant oils were
comparable with those of diesel fuel. Hou et al. [34] investigated
the effect of the proportion of DME on the combustion and emis-
sions of a turbocharged CI engine fueled with DME-biodiesel
blends. The test fuel proportions were DME100Bio0, DME70-
Bio30, DME50Bio50, and DME0Bio100. The results showed that the
ignition delay, peak heat release rate, and peak in-cylinder pressure
decreased as the proportion of DME increased. However, the in-
jection timing was not consistent throughout the experiment
because a pump-pipe-nozzle fuel system was used instead of a
common-rail system. Roh et al. [35] investigated the effect of pilot
injection on the combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel
engine fueled with a DME-biodiesel blend (DME80B20). The
maximum pressure in the pilot injection mode was significantly
lower than that in the single injection mode. The HC emissions in
the pilot injection mode were lower. The soot emissions from the
DME80B20 fuel were approximately zero in both the single and
pilot injection modes, while the NOx emissions were higher when
DME-biodiesel blended fuel was used than when diesel and diesel-
biodiesel blended fuels were used.
When DME, biodiesel, and DME-biodiesel blends are used, NOx
emissions must be reduced to achieve ultra-low emissions. Exhaust
gas recirculation has emerged as a mid-tier NOx reduction strategy,
typically yielding reductions ranging from 25 to 50% [36,37]. Song
et al. [38] investigated the effect of EGR on the performance and
exhaust emissions of a DME engine. Owing to the smoke-free
combustion of DME, the engine operated at a high EGR rate and
was not restricted by the NOx-soot tradeoff. Significant reductions
in NOx emissions with limited increases in HC and CO emissions
were achieved by optimizing the EGR ratios. Zhao et al. [39]
investigated the effects of EGR on the combustion and emissions of
a naturally aspirated DME engine. The resultant NOx emissions,
after using the EGR strategies, met the requirements for the Euro IV
and V specifications under electronic stability control operating
conditions. Muncrief et al. [40] combined the EGR and DPF tech-
nologies in a biodiesel-diesel engine, and the NOx and PM emis-
sions were controlled within the prescribed limits by increasing the
EGR rate to 40%. Kumar et al. [41] experimentally investigated the
performance, combustion, and emissions of an engine fueled with
neat diesel and a blend of 20% Mahua oil biodiesel. In their exper-
iments, different EGR rates (i.e., 10%, 20%, and 30%) were employed
to reduce NOx emissions. It has been suggested that the EGR rate
should be controlled within 10%; beyond this value, the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of soot, HC, and CO deteriorate. Zhao et al.
[42] investigated the effects of diesel proportion on the combustion
 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233
and emissions of a naturally aspirated DME-diesel engine with EGR
and modified an air intake system to form an approximately ho-
mogeneous mixture of DME and air. Their results indicated that as
the EGR rate increased, the ignition delay increased, the heat
release rate (HRR) and pressure rise rate decreased, and NOx
emissions sharply decreased; however, smoke, HC, and CO emis-
sions increased. Higher premixing ratios of DME reduced smoke
and NOx emissions but increased HC and CO emissions. Because the
DME was premixed with air in the air intake system, the ignition
delay control was inflexible and safety issues increased.
The DME engine is a potentially clean engine. By blending a
small amount of biodiesel with DME, the lubricity of fuel can be
significantly improved, while the combustion smoke remains un-
changed. However, NOx emission must be reduced in both DME
and biodiesel engines to achieve ultra-low emissions. Presently,
EGR is an essential strategy for achieving this objective. Therefore,
the effects of the EGR rate (0e20%) on the combustion, emissions,
and performance of a six-cylinder turbocharged common-rail DME
engine (Weichai WP6) with biodiesel blends were experimentally
studied. Various biodiesel proportions (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% by
mass) and engine loads (BMEP ¼ 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 MPa)
were considered.
2. Experimental setup and measurement
The dimethyl ether used in this experiment was supplied by
Zhangjiagang Xinao Energy Co., Ltd., and the biodiesel was made
from waste edible oil. The test DME-biodiesel fuel blends were
DME, B5, B10, and B15, which contain 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% biodiesel
by weight, respectively. The basic properties of DME and biodiesel
are listed in Table 1.
The six-cylinder turbocharged common-rail DME engine used in
the tests is shown in Fig. 1; the specific details are listed in Table 2.
The test engine was modified from a Weichai supercharged, inter-
cooled, and electronically controlled common-rail diesel engine,
WP6. This engine was suitable for using DME fuel, which has a low
boiling point and low viscosity. The technical parameters are listed
in Table 2. The engine test bed is schematically shown in Fig. 2. This
test bed included an electronically controlled DME-biodiesel en-
gine, an EGR system, a combustion measurement and control sys-
tem, and an emission test system. Photos of the engine are shown in
Fig. 2.
The DI fuel system for the DME-biodiesel was an electronic
common-rail system with a modified program. The low-pressure
supply pump pressurized the DME or DME-biodiesel fuel blends
at 1.6 MPa to prevent a vapor lock from occurring in the fuel system.
The in-cylinder pressure of cylinder 6 was determined using a Type
6052C Kistler piezoelectric sensor and a Type 5018A Kistler charge
amplifier. The sampling frequency was 20 kHz. The pressure data
for 50 consecutive cycles were sampled and recorded. The NOx, HC,
and CO emissions were measured using a HORIBA MEXA-7500 fast
Table 1
Physical and chemical properties of DME and biodiesel.
Fuel parameter DME Biodiesel
Cetane number () >55 52
Low calorific value (MJ/kg) 27.6 39.0
Density, liquid form (kg/m3) 667 877
Kinematic viscosity, 20
C (cSt) <0.1 4.43
Surface tension (N/m) 0.012 0.032
Latent heat of vaporization (kJ/kg) 467.13 290
Saturated vapor pressure, 25
C (kPa) 530 e into the intake pipe contains significant amounts of CO and water
Carbon (wt.%) 52.2 76.9
Hydrogen (wt.%) 13 12.4
Oxygen (wt.%) 34.8 10.7
3
particle spectrometer. The particle distribution was measured using
a Combustion Mk II analyzer. The exhaust gas was diluted in a two-
stage dilution channel before it flowed into the particle analyzer;
the dilution ratio ranged from 60:1 to 2500:1. To describe the mode
of particle formation, particle sizes <30 nm were defined as the
nucleation mode, and particle sizes ranging from 30 to 1000 nm
were defined as the accumulated mode. The HRR and mean gas
temperatures were calculated using the first-law heat-release
model. The consumption of DME was measured using an electronic
scale.
The EGR system for a turbocharged engine is generally divided
into a high-pressure EGR and a low-pressure EGR. The high-
pressure EGR system includes a high energy exhaust from the
front of the turbine, which is conducive to a higher EGR rate.
However, due to the high exhaust temperature, the cooling
requirement is higher. The low-pressure EGR system includes
exhaust from the back of turbine and the exhaust capacity is lower.
To effectively reduce the NOx emissions, a high-pressure EGR sys-
tem was adopted, as seen in Fig. 3. Two-stage tandem coolers were
installed in the exhaust and drainage pipes to ensure effective
cooling of the high-temperature exhaust gas and to control the
temperature of the EGR at 25
C ± 5
C. The degree of exhaust
recirculation is characterized by the EGR rate, which is generally
defined as follows: EGR rate ¼ EGR flow/(inhaled air flow þ EGR
flow). In this study, we calculated the EGR rate by measuring the
CO2 concentrations in the intake and exhaust, as follows:
CO2;inlet  CO2;ambient
EGR rate ¼  100% (1)
CO2;exhaust  CO2;ambient
where CO2, inlet, CO2, ambient, and CO2, exhaust are the CO2 concen-
trations (vol%) of the gases in the intake manifold, ambience, and
exhaust, respectively.
The EGR rate in the present study ranged from 0 to 20% and its
effects on the performance and emissions of the engine were tested
under two engine loads at a test speed of 1262 rpm. The test speed
(1262 rpm, 55% maximum speed) was chosen to be the value with
the largest proportion in the 13 working conditions of the world-
harmonized stationary cycle (WHSC). To ensure engine reliability
and stability, the maximum values of the rate of pressure increase,
the in-cylinder pressure, and the cyclic fluctuation were controlled
below 1 MPa/
CA, 13 MPa, and 5%, respectively. The temperatures of
the engine intake air, coolant, and lubricant oil were maintained in
the ranges 40
C ± 3
C, 80
C ± 2
C, and 85
C ± 3
C, respectively.
Moreover, for each operating condition, data from 200 samples of
gas emissions were stored on a data acquisition card and the par-
ticle emissions and fuel consumption values were recorded three
times. The combustion test conditions of the DME-biodiesel engine
are listed in Table 3 and the measurement accuracy and uncertainty
of the parameters are listed in Table 4.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Effect of EGR on combustion
EGR has been successfully used to control the ignition delay and
the progress of combustion, especially in efficient and clean com-
bustion modes. The influence of high-pressure EGR on combustion
is manifested in three aspects. First, a portion of the fresh air is
replaced by the exhaust gas, resulting in a decrease in the O2
concentration at the intake. Second, the exhaust gas introduced
vapor, which have higher specific heat capacities than fresh air.
These conditions benefit the decrease in the combustion temper-
ature and the suppression of NOx formation. Third, the exhaust gas
4 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233

1 2 3 4 5 6

Fig. 1. Schematic of the test engine experimental setup. (b) Combustion analyzer (c) DMS 500 fast particle analyzer.

Table 2
Technical parameters of test engine.

Engine type Four-stroke turbocharged inter-cooled DICI engine

Cylinder number 6
Bore  Stroke (mm) 105  120
Compression ratio 18
Displacement (L) 6.32
Maximum power (kW)/speed (rpm) 155/2300
Maximum torque (N m)/speed (rpm) 650/1600
Nozzle orifice number  diameter (mm) 7  0.26
Injection system Common rail
Minimum diesel fuel consumption (g/kWh) 196

(a) DME engine test bed

(b) Combustion analyzer (c) DMS 500 fast particle analyzer

Fig. 3. Schematic of the EGR system.
Fig. 2. Photos of test engine experimental setup.
 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233 5

Table 3
Test conditions of the engine.
Speed (rpm) 1262
Brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) (MPa) 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2
Fuel DME, B5, B10, B15
Start of injection timing (
CA ATDC) 4
Injection pressure (MPa) 45
EGR rate (%) 0, 5, 10, 15, 20
introduced into the intake pipe contains combustion products,
which re-participate in the combustion reaction, thereby affecting
the chemical dynamics of the combustion.
Figs. 4e8 show the effects of the EGR rate on the combustion
characteristics under two loads with various DME-biodiesel blends.
In all the test fuels, an increase in the EGR rate lowered the com-
bustion pressure and the peak combustion pressure, as shown in
Fig. 4(a), (c), (e), and (g). These results may have been caused by the
slow combustion due to the higher CO2 instead of O2 that occurred
at the high EGR rates. Moreover, the larger EGR rate was related to a
lower combustion temperature, as mentioned above, which is also
associated with a lower peak pressure. The effect of EGR on the
engine is stronger at a high load (brake mean effective pressure
(BMEP) ¼ 0.8 MPa) than at a low load (BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa), because
the combustion is more sensitive to the O2 content at a higher load.
When the EGR rate was higher, there was more residence time
for fuel-O2 interactions, which increased the premixed combustion.
Conversely, a reduction in the O2 availability lowers the severity of
premixed combustion [43,44]. At a low load (BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa), the
cycle fuel quantity and the O2 content requirements are small;
therefore, the high EGR rate causes an increase in the premixed-
burned fuel at a low load, resulting in an increase in the heat
release rate (HRR), as seen in Fig. 4(a), (c), (e), and (g). However, at a
high load (BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa), as the EGR rate increases, the O2
deficiency becomes the dominant factor, and the percentage of fuel
burned in the premixed combustion decreases, resulting in a
decrease in the HRR, as seen in Fig. 4(b), (d), (f), and (h).
(a) BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa (DME) (b) BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa (DME).
(c) BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa (B5) (d) BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa (B5).
(e) BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa (B10) (f) BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa (B10).
(g) BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa (B15) (h) BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa (B15).
Figs. 5e7 show the effects of the EGR rate on the ignition delay,
combustion phase (CA50) and combustion duration in cylinder 6.
The ignition delay slightly increases as the EGR rate increases,
because the residence time for O2-fuel interaction increases at a
higher EGR rate. The effect of the biodiesel proportion on the
ignition delay is complex; B5 has the shortest ignition delay, while
DME has the longest, although the difference is not significant.
There are four factors related to the ignition delay: (1) the cetane
number of biodiesel is slightly lower than that of DME, and the
chemical ignition delay is slightly longer than that of DME; (2) the
higher viscosity, surface tension and distillation range of biodiesel
lead to poor atomization performance; (3) the calorific value of
biodiesel is more than 40% higher than that of dimethyl ether, the
modulus of the elasticity is large, and the duration of fuel injection
is shortened; and (4) by adding biodiesel in DME, although the
spray cone angle is smaller, the spray penetration distance in-
creases, the spray area increases, and the fuel-O2 mixing fast. In this
study, the effects of factors 3 and 4 advance the ignition delay more
strongly than those of factors 1 and 2; the ignition delay of DME is
the longest and that of B5 is the shortest. However, as the biodiesel
proportion increases, the effect of factor 2 increases, and the igni-
tion delay period becomes longer.
As the EGR rate increases, the combustion phase CA50 and the
combustion duration increase, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7. Remarkably,
at a higher load (BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa), the delays in the combustion
phase and the combustion duration increase more obviously as the
EGR rate increases. The excessive air coefficient is small at a high
load due to the large mass of injected fuel, and fuel-O2 mixing is
sensitive to the EGR rate. The combustion duration of B5 and DME is
relatively short, which contributes to the high volatility, high oxy-
gen content and high cetane number of these two blends. High
volatility promotes the formation of a mixture, the high oxygen
content decreases the demand for oxygen, and a high cetane
number improves the chemical reaction rate; all these character-
istics are conducive to shortening the duration of combustion.
3.2. Effect of EGR on engine performance
As the EGR rate increases, the combustion temperature and O2
concentration decrease, and combustion deteriorates. In addition,
the combustion duration increases as the EGR rate increases, while
the isovolumetric combustion decelerates, thereby reducing the
effective thermal efficiency and increasing the fuel consumption.
Fig. 8 shows the effect of the EGR rate on the BSFC of the six cyl-
inders. The BSFC of DME is highest due to its low heat value. The
BSFC slightly increases as the EGR rate increases.
With respect to energy utilization, Figs. 9 and 10 display the
effect of the EGR rate on the equivalent brake-specific fuel con-
sumption (EBSFC) and brake thermal efficiency (BTE). The EBSFC is
calculated by converting the DME-biodiesel consumption to that of
diesel based on a lower heat value, as follows:
Hu;Blend
EBSFC ¼ BSFCBlend  (2)
Hu;Diesel
where BSFCBlend is the effective fuel consumption rate of the DME-
biodiesel blend, g/kWh; Hu,Blend is the low calorific value of the

Table 4
Measurement accuracy and uncertainty in the parameters.

Parameter Range Accuracy Uncertainty (95% confidence level) (%)

Mass fuel consumption 0e20 kg/h ±0.01 kg/h ±2.1

CO 0e10 vol% ±0.05 vol% ±5.2
HC 0e20000 ppm ±0.05 ppm ±1.5
NOX 0e5000 ppm ±0.05 ppm ±1.5
Particle mean diameter 10e487 nm ±0.01 nm ±3.4
Particle number concentration 102e107/cm3 ±0.025/cm3 ±5.2
Speed 0e10000 rpm ±1 rpm
Exhaust gas temperature 0e800
C ±1
C
In-cylinder pressure 0e25 MPa ±0.0005 MPa
Crank angle ±1

Inlet gas mass flow rate 0e800 kg/h ±0.01 kg/h
EGR temperature 0e100
C ±0.1
C
 DME n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate(%) 150 DME n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa EGR rate(%)
8 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
10 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
0 0 200
5 5
10 8 10
6 15 15

HRR (J/°CA)

HRR (J/°CA)
20 100 20 150
p (MPa)

p (MPa)
6
4
100
4
50
2
2 50

0 0
0 0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Crank Angle (°CA) Crank Angle (°CA)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (DME) (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa (DME)

B5 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate(%) 150 B5 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa EGR rate(%)
8 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
10 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
0 0 200
5 5
10 8 10
6 15 15

HRR (J/°CA)

HRR (J/°CA)
20 100 20 150
p (MPa)

p (MPa)
6
4
100
4
50
2
2 50

0 0
0 0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Crank Angle (°CA) Crank Angle (°CA)
(c) BMEP=0.4 MPa (B5) (d) BMEP=0.8 MPa (B5)

B10 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate(%) 150 B10 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa EGR rate(%)
8 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
10 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
0 0 200
5 5
10 8 10
6 15 15
HRR (J/°CA)

HRR (J/°CA)
20 100 20 150
p (MPa)

p (MPa)

6
4
100
4
50
2
2 50

0 0
0 0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Crank Angle (°CA) Crank Angle (°CA)
(e) BMEP=0.4 MPa (B10) (f) BMEP=0.8 MPa (B10)

B15 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate(%) 150 B15 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa EGR rate(%)
8 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
10 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
0 0 200
5 5
10 8 10
6 15 15
HRR (J/°CA)

HRR (J/°CA)

20 100 20 150
p (MPa)

p (MPa)

6
4
100
4
50
2
2 50

0 0
0 0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Crank Angle (°CA) Crank Angle (°CA)
(g) BMEP=0.4 MPa (B15) (h) BMEP=0.8 MPa (B15)
Fig. 4. Effect of EGR rate on in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate.
 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233 7

7.0 7.8
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
Ignition delay (°CA)

Ignition delay (°CA)

DME B5 DME B5
6.8 B10 B15 7.6 B10 B15

6.6 7.4

6.4 7.2

6.2 7.0
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 5. Effect of the EGR rate on the ignition delay.

7.2 10.2
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
CA50 (°CA ATDC)

DME B5 CA50 (°CA ATDC) 10.0

DME B5
B10 B15 B10 B15
7.0 9.8

9.6

6.8 9.4

9.2

6.6 9.0
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate(%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 6. Effect of the EGR rate on the combustion phase.

12.3 18
Combustion Duration (°CA)

Combustion Duration (°CA)

n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa

n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
12.0 DME B5 17 DME B5
B10 B15
B10 B15
11.7 16

11.4 15

11.1 14

10.8 13

10.5 12
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate(%) EGR rate(%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa

Fig. 7. Effect of the EGR rate on the combustion duration.

DME-biodiesel blend, MJ/kg; and Hu,Diesel is the low calorific value combustion duration, a lower constant volume ratio, and worse BTE
of diesel, MJ/kg. values. DME and B5 exhibit greater BTE values in all test conditions,
As the EGR rate increases from 0% to 20%, the increases in the due to their short combustion durations and the fact that their
EBSFC values of DME, B5, B10, and B15 averaged 0.8% and 2.1% at combustion phases are closer to the TDC, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
BMEP values of 0.4 MPa and 0.8 MPa, respectively. As the EGR rate Fig. 11 shows the effect of the EGR rate on the exhaust tem-
increases, the O2 concentration in the cylinder decreases, and the perature of the six cylinders, which is measured using a tempera-
combustion reaction rate decreases. This results in a longer ture sensor (K-type thermocouple). As the EGR rate increases, the
8 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233

370 340
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
365 DME B5 335 DME B5
B10 B15 B10 B15
BSFC (g/kWh)

BSFC (g/kWh)
360 330

355 325

350 320

345 315
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 8. Effect of the EGR rate on the BSFC.

248 224
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
222 DME B5
EBSFC (g/kWh)
244 DME B5
EBSFC (g/kWh)

B10 B15 B10 B15

220
240
218
236
216

232 214

228 212
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 9. Effect of the EGR rate on the EBSFC.
Brake Thermal Efficiency (%)

37.6 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa

40.8
Brake Thermal Efficiency (%)

n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa

SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
DME B5 DME B5
B10 B15
40.2
36.8 B10 B15

39.6
36.0
39.0

35.2
38.4

34.4 37.8
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa

Fig. 10. Effect of the EGR rate on the brake thermal efficiency.

delayed combustion phase CA50 and increased combustion dura- study, a high-pressure EGR was used, in which the exhaust gas was
tion lead to an increase in the exhaust temperature. These effects drawn from the front of the turbine into the intake pipe. Therefore,
are more obvious at BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa than at BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa, as the EGR rate increased, the flow rate of the exhaust gas through
because the combustion is more sensitive to the EGR effect at a the turbine, the rotational speeds of both the turbine and the
higher load due to the increase in the load and decrease in the compressor, and the turbocharging ratio decreased, resulting in a
excess air coefficient. reduction in the intake mass flow. Although the increase in the EGR
Fig. 12 shows the effect of the EGR rate on the intake mass flow rate increased the exhaust temperature and, consequently, the
of the six cylinders that is measured using a mass air flow meter. As expansion energy, this effect was much lower than that of the
the EGR rate increases, the mass air flow decreases. In the present reduction in the turbine exhaust gas flow.
 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233 9

224 380

Exhaust Gas Temperature ( )

Exhaust Gas Temperature ( )
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
DME B5
218 B10 B15
360

212

340
206 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
DME B5
B10 B15
200 320
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa

Fig. 11. Effect of the EGR rate on the temperature of the exhaust gas.

320
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa 340
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
Mass air flow (kg/h)

SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa

Mass air flow (kg/h)

SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
300 DME 320
DME
B5
B5
B10
300 B10
280 B15
B15
280
260
260
240
240

220 220
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 12. Effect of the EGR rate on the mass air flow.

3.3. Effect of EGR on gas emissions decrease by 54.2%, 57.1%, 55.0%, and 53.2%, respectively. According
to the Zeldovich reaction mechanism [45], the reaction equations
The amount of NOx emissions is the most critical issue per- for NOx formation are as follows: O2 ¼ 2O, N2 þ O ¼ NO þ N, O
taining to DME and biodiesel combustion in engines. The main 2 þ N ¼ NO þ O. The O2 concentration and combustion temperature
purpose of the EGR strategy in this study was to reduce NOx exert the primary influence on the formation of NOx emissions,
emissions. Fig. 13 shows the effect of the EGR rate on NOx emis- which can be reduced by 50% if the temperature is reduced by
sions. The NOx emissions decrease approximately linearly as the 100 K. As the EGR rate increases, the O2 concentration of the intake
EGR rate increases. At BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa, as the EGR rate increases air decreases, the overall specific heat capacity of the working fluid
from 0% to 20%, the NOX emissions of DME, B5, B10, and B15 in the cylinder increases, and the combustion temperature in the

10 10
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
DME DME
8
NOx (g/kWh)

8
NOx (g/kWh)

B5 B5
B10 B10
B15 B15
6
6

4
4

2
2
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 13. Effect of the EGR rate on NOx emissions.
10 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233
cylinder decreases. This significantly suppresses NOx formation.
Decreasing the high temperature, which is favorable to significant
NOx formation at a higher load, is more effective. The effect of
reducing NOx emissions via EGR is more obvious at
BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa than at BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa.
The influence of the biodiesel proportion on the EGR effect is not
obvious, as shown in Fig. 13. This is contrary to the conclusions of
Hou et al. [34], who showed that NOx emissions decreased as the
DME proportion increased. This contradiction developed because of
the differences in the injection timing between the present
experiment and the work of Hou et al. The injection timing exerts a
significant influence on NOx emissions because the ignition delay
and HRR are sensitive to injection timing. Roh et al. [35] investi-
gated the effect of injection timing on NOx emissions of diesel, a
diesel-biodiesel blend (D80B20), and a DME-biodiesel blend
(DME80B20). The results showed that the NOx emissions from the
three fuels were very similar at appropriate injection timings (in-
jection timing ¼ 3, 0
ATDC), regardless of the significant differ-
ences in their physical and chemical properties, as seen in Fig. 14.
In general, turbocharging the CI engine increases the inlet
temperature and the O2 content in the intake pipe, resulting in
increased NOx emissions. Fig. 15 shows the comparative NOx
emissions of a naturally aspirated engine [46] and a turbocharged
engine fueled with DME. Both engines were operated under iden-
tical conditions (55% maximum speed and 50% engine load). The
NOx emissions from the DME engine with the turbocharge system
is greater than those from the naturally aspirated engine. As the
EGR rate increases, the NOx emissions of the two engines become
closer in value.
The effects of the EGR rate on CO and HC emissions are shown in
Fig. 16 and Fig. 17, respectively. Both CO and HC emissions increase
as the EGR rate increases. At BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa, as the EGR rate in-
creases from 0% to 20%, the CO emissions of DME, B5, B10, and B15
increase by 19.2%, 16.0%, 15.5%, and 17.1%, respectively, while the HC
emissions increase by 17.5%, 23.0%, 20.7%, and 20.8%, respectively.
An increase in the EGR rate leads to an increase in incomplete
combustion products due to the reduced combustion temperature
and O2 concentration. The increase in CO emissions as the EGR rate
increases is significantly greater at BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa than at
BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa, and the CO emissions approximately double as
the EGR rate increases from 15% to 20%.
The effects of the biodiesel proportion on the CO and HC
24
Single injection
1500rpm, 60Nm, Pinj=50 MPa
Diesel
20
NOx (g/kWh)
D80B20
DME80B20
16
12
8
4
-9 -6 -3 0 3
Single injection timing (° ATDC)
Fig. 14. Effect of single-injection timing on NOx emissions for diesel, D80B20, and
DME80B20 (Roh et al. [35]).
10
55% rated speed and 50% engine load
Turbocharged DME engine
Naturally aspirated DME engine[46]
NOx (g/kWh)
8
6
4
2
0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%)
Fig. 15. Comparative NOx emissions of naturally aspirated [46] and turbocharged DME
engines scaled for the same operating condition (55% maximum speed and 50% engine
load).
emissions are more obvious than those effects on NOx emissions. A
greater biodiesel proportion deteriorates the quality of the fuel-O2
mixture formation and increases the amount of fuel impinging on
the wall, thereby increasing the concentration of the unburned fuel
on the wall, which is difficult to completely combust due to the
quenching effect of the wall surface.
3.4. Effect of the EGR rate on particle distribution
The effects of the EGR rate on particle number size distribution
and its cumulative mode with varied biodiesel proportions and
loads are shown in Fig. 18. In all the test conditions, the particle size
distributions of the DME-biodiesel show bimodal or tripodal
structures, with a nucleation mode (peak at 10e30 nm) and an
accumulation mode (peak at 200e400 nm). The nucleation mode
particles are the secondary particles formed by the distribution of
volatile or semi volatile components, such as sulfuric acid or HC,
which form nuclei or condensation. The accumulation mode par-
ticles are mainly formed by the accumulation of primary carbon
particles (particle size of approximately 2 nm) condensed with part
of the HC. Fig. 18 also shows that the particles emitted from DME-
biodiesel blended engine (biodiesel proportion  15%) are mainly
in the nucleation mode. The accumulation mode particle number of
the DME-biodiesel engine is much lower than that of the diesel
engine measured by Li et al. [47]. This result is attributed to the
higher oxygen levels of the blends and the lack of CeC bonds in
DME.
As the EGR rate increases, the peak number concentration, total
number concentration, and number concentrations of both nucle-
ation and accumulation particles increases, and the particle size
corresponding to the peak number concentration increases. The
retarded combustion and increased fuel consumption that occurs
as the EGR rate increases is shown in Figs. 7 and 9, along with the
increase in the quantity of unburned HC. In addition, as the EGR
rate increases, the intake O2 concentration and temperature during
the expansion stoke decrease, which is not conducive to particle
oxidation. Therefore, as the EGR rate increases, the particles grow
due to condensation of the increased quantities of volatile material
in the combustion chamber, as well as in the engine exhaust pipe.
The increases in the total number and size of particles is likely due
to the coexistence of coagulation and homogeneous nucleation of
 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233 11

0.95
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa 1.1 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
0.90 DME DME
B5 B5

CO (g/kWh)
CO (g/kWh)

B10 0.9 B10

0.85 B15 B15

0.7
0.80

0.75 0.5

0.70 0.3
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa
Fig. 16. Effect of the EGR rate on CO emissions.

0.40 0.14
n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.8 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
DME B5 DME B5
0.36 B10 B15 0.12
HC (g/kWh)

HC (g/kWh) B10 B15

0.32 0.10

0.28 0.08

0.24 0.06
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
EGR rate (%) EGR rate (%)
(a) BMEP=0.4 MPa (b) BMEP=0.8 MPa

Fig. 17. Effect of the EGR rate on HC emissions.

metallic ash particles and the heterogeneous nucleation of poly-
cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and carbon soot on the metallic
ash particles [48].
4. Conclusions
The effects of the EGR rate on the combustion, emissions, and
performance of a six-cylinder turbocharged common-rail DME
engine with biodiesel blends were experimentally studied. The
following conclusions were drawn:
(1) Exhaust gas recirculation affects the combustion by changing
the chemical activities, the O2 contents, and the specific heat
capacities of the substances in the cylinders. As the EGR rate
increases, the ignition delay increases, the combustion phase
is delayed, and the combustion duration increases. The peak
HRR increases as the EGR increases at BMEP ¼ 0.4 MPa but
decreases at BMEP ¼ 0.8 MPa.
(2) As the EGR rate increases, the EBSFC and exhaust tempera-
ture increase, while the intake mass air flow rate decreases.
(3) The EGR strategy is effective in suppressing NOx emissions of
a DME-biodiesel blend engine, and the NOx emissions show
an approximately linear decrease as the EGR rate increases.
However, the EGR rate has an opposite effect on the CO and
HC emissions. The effect of the EGR rate on gas emissions is
more obvious at higher loads.
(4) The effect of the biodiesel proportion on the combustion and
performance of an engine is complex and results from
combined factors such as fuel injection duration, mixture
formation and reaction activity. B5 (5% wt biodiesel) shows
the shortest ignition delay and the highest brake thermal
efficiency.
(5) In a DME engine with biodiesel blends (biodiesel mass
proportion  15%), the exhaust particles are mainly in the
nucleation mode. At higher EGR rates or higher biodiesel
proportions, the peak number concentration, total number
concentration, number concentrations of both nucleation
and accumulation particles, and particle size corresponding
to the peak number concentration increase.
Declaration of competing interest
All authors have seen the manuscript (“Experimental Study of
Effects of Exhaust Gas Recirculation on Combustion, Performance,
and Emissions of DME-Biodiesel Fueled Engine”) and approved to
submit to your journal. No conflict of interest exits in the submis-
sion of this manuscript, and manuscript is approved by all authors
for publication. I would like to declare on behalf of my co-authors
that the work described was original research that has not been
published previously, and not under consideration for publication
elsewhere, in whole or in part. All the authors listed have approved
the manuscript that is enclosed.
 10
10
DME n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
6x108 Total Number
EGR rate (%) DME n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa 0 Nucleation Mode SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
9
10 5 5x10 8 Accumulation Mode

dN/dlogDp (cm )
10

-3

dN/dlogDp (cm-3)
8
10 15
7
20 4x108
10

10
6 3x108
5
10 2x108
4
10
3
1x108
10

10
2 0
10 100 1000 0 5 10 15 20
Dp (nm) EGR rate (%)
(a) DME

7x108 Total Number

10 B5 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate (%) B5 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
10 Nucleation Mode
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa 0 SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
9 5 6x108 Accumulation Mode
10
dN/dlogDp (cm )

10
-3

dN/dlogDp (cm-3)
8 15 5x108
10 20
7 4x108
10

10
6 3x108

10
5 2x108

10
4
1x108

10
3
0
10 100 1000 0 5 10 15 20
Dp (nm) EGR rate (%)

(b) B5

10 7x108 Total Number

10 B10 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate (%) B10 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa 0 Nucleation Mode SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
8
10
9
5 6x10 Accumulation Mode
dN/dlogDp (cm )

10
-3

dN/dlogDp (cm-3)

8
10 15 5x108
20
7
10 4x108
6
10
3x108
5
10
4 2x108
10

10
3 1x108
2
10 0
10 100 1000 0 5 10 15 20
Dp (nm) EGR rate (%)

(c) B10

1.2x109 Total Number

10 B15 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa EGR rate (%) B15 n=1262 r/min BMEP=0.4 MPa
10 Nucleation Mode SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa
SOImain=-4 °CA ATDC Pinj=45 MPa 0
9 Accumulation Mode
10
9 5 1.0x10
dN/dlogDp (cm )

10
dN/dlogDp (cm-3)
-3

8 15
10 8.0x108
20
7
10
6 6.0x108
10
5
10 4.0x108
4
10
3
2.0x108
10
10
2
0.0
10 100 1000 0 5 10 15 20
Dp (nm) EGR rate (%)
(d) B15
Fig. 18. Effects of the EGR rate on the particle size distribution and cumulative particle number.
 C. Sun et al. / Energy 197 (2020) 117233
Acknowledgments
Project supported by the National Key Technologies R & D
Program of China (2017YFE0130800), National Natural Science
Foundation of China (Grant No. 91441124,91741122), China Post-
doctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2018M642014), Science
Technology Department of Zhejiang Province (Grant No.
GG19E060001).
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