Biodiesel fuels

The mono-alkyl esters, most commonly the methyl esters, of vegetable oils, animal fats or other materials consisting mainly of triacylglycerols, often referred to as biodiesel, are an alternative to conventional petrodiesel for use in compression-ignition engines. The fatty acid esters that thus comprise biodiesel largely determine many important fuel properties. In turn, the composition of the biodiesel depends on the composition of the parent feedstock because feedstocks with widely varying fatty acid composition can be used for biodiesel production. The use of different feedstocks is also significant under aspects of increasing biodiesel supply and socio-economic issues. In this article, biodiesel production is briefly described, followed by a discussion of biodiesel fuel properties and the influence of varying fatty acid profiles and feedstocks. It is shown that the properties of biodiesel least influenced by minor components can be determined by a straightforward equation in which the properties of the biodiesel fuel are calculated from the amounts of the individual component fatty esters and their properties. Optimizing biodiesel composition is also addressed.     

柴油机新型含氧燃料研究现状及进展

柴油机含氧燃料作为柴油的替代品和添加剂,可有效减少机动车尾气排放,缓解对石化燃料的依赖。因此,开发柴油机新型含氧燃料有着环保和节能的双重意义,是近年来研究热点。综述了国内外液态醚类燃料、醚酯类燃料、生物柴油等新型含氧燃料及其研究进展,介绍了它们的排放性能。     

Triglycerides-based diesel fuels

Efforts are under way in many countries, including India, to search for suitable alternative diesel fuels that are environment friendly. The need to search for these fuels arises mainly from the standpoint of preserving the global environment and the concern about long-term supplies of conventional hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels. Among the different possible sources, diesel fuels derived from triglycerides (vegetable oils/animal fats) present a promising alternative to substitute diesel fuels. Although triglycerides can fuel diesel engines, their high viscosities, low volatilities and poor cold flow properties have led to the investigation of various derivatives. Fatty acid methyl esters, known as biodiesel, derived from triglycerides by transesterification with methanol have received the most attention. The main advantages of using biodiesel are its renewability, better-quality exhaust gas emissions, its biodegradability and given that all the organic carbon present is photosynthetic in origin, it does not contribute to a rise in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and consequently to the greenhouse effect.     

Impact of oxygen and nitrogen compounds on the lubrication properties of low sulfur diesel fuels

This paper presents the impact of oxygen and nitrogen compounds on the lubrication properties of low sulfur diesel fuels. It discusses the most recent results, concerning the influence of adding low amounts of 4 specific types of biodiesel, 5 aliphatic amines, 2 tertiarty amides, 10 mono-carboxylic acid esters, 3 acetoacetates and 7 esters of di-carboxylic acids on the tribological behaviour of the steel-on-steel systems, lubricated with low sulfur automotive diesel fuel. Experiments were carried out on the HFRR (high frequency reciprocating rig). The obtained wear results showed that all the various classes of additives improved fuel lubricity.     

Steam reforming of commercial ultra-low sulphur diesel

Two main routes for small-scale diesel steam reforming exist: low-temperature pre-reforming followed by well-established methane steam reforming on the one hand and direct steam reforming on the other hand. Tests with commercial catalysts and commercially obtained diesel fuels are presented for both processes. The fuels contained up to 6.5 ppmw sulphur and up to 4.5 vol.% of biomass-derived fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Pre-reforming sulphur-free diesel at around 475 °C has been tested with a commercial nickel catalyst for 118 h without observing catalyst deactivation, at steam-to-carbon ratios as low as 2.6. Direct steam reforming at temperatures up to 800 °C has been tested with a commercial precious metal catalyst for a total of 1190 h with two catalyst batches at steam-to-carbon ratios as low as 2.5. Deactivation was neither observed with lower steam-to-carbon ratios nor for increasing sulphur concentration. The importance of good fuel evaporation and mixing for correct testing of catalysts is illustrated. Diesel containing biodiesel components resulted in poor spray quality, hence poor mixing and evaporation upstream, eventually causing decreasing catalyst performance. The feasibility of direct high temperature steam reforming of commercial low-sulphur diesel has been demonstrated.     

Biodiesel and renewable diesel: A comparison

The search for alternatives to petroleum-based fuels has led to the development of fuels from various sources, including renewable feedstocks such as fats and oils. Several types of fuels can be derived from these triacylglycerol-containing feedstocks. One of them is biodiesel, which is defined as the mono-alkyl esters of vegetable oils or animal fats. Biodiesel is produced by transesterifying the oil or fat with an alcohol such as methanol under mild conditions in the presence of a base catalyst. Another kind of product that can be obtained from lipid feedstocks is a fuel whose composition simulates that of petroleum-derived diesel fuel. This kind of fuel, probably best termed “renewable diesel”, is produced from the fat or oil by a hydrodeoxygenation reaction at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalyst. This article discusses in a general and comparative fashion aspects such as fuel production and energy balance, fuel properties, environmental effects including exhaust emissions and co-products. Among the questions that are addressed are if these fuels compete with or complement each other and what the effect of production scale may be.     

Effect of biodiesel fuels on diesel engine emissions

The call for the use of biofuels which is being made by most governments following international energy policies is presently finding some resistance from car and components manufacturing companies, private users and local administrations. This opposition makes it more difficult to reach the targets of increased shares of use of biofuels in internal combustion engines. One of the reasons for this resistance is a certain lack of knowledge about the effect of biofuels on engine emissions. This paper collects and analyzes the body of work written mainly in scientific journals about diesel engine emissions when using biodiesel fuels as opposed to conventional diesel fuels. Since the basis for comparison is to maintain engine performance, the first section is dedicated to the effect of biodiesel fuel on engine power, fuel consumption and thermal efficiency. The highest consensus lies in an increase in fuel consumption in approximate proportion to the loss of heating value. In the subsequent sections, the engine emissions from biodiesel and diesel fuels are compared, paying special attention to the most concerning emissions: nitric oxides and particulate matter, the latter not only in mass and composition but also in size distributions. In this case the highest consensus was found in the sharp reduction in particulate emissions.     

Vegetable oils as renewable fuels for power plants based on low and medium speed diesel engines

There is a high potential for plant oils as alternative fuel for low and medium speed diesel engines, making petroleum-derived fuels likely to be replaced in these types of engines. Vegetable oils have important advantages over both heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas oil (MGO), the fuels currently used in diesel power plants by large two stroke low-speed diesel engines and by medium speed diesel engines, respectively. The emission of certain pollutants and greenhouse gases like SO_x, soot and, mainly, CO₂ can be reduced by using vegetable oils in these types of engines. This work discusses the potential of vegetable oils as fuel for power plant diesel engines and the problems that can be derived from their use. Current experiences with medium speed diesel engines together with the analysis carried out in this paper indicate that vegetable oils can substitute HFO and MGO, without almost any engine modification.     

Emissions from sawdust biomass and diesel blends fuels

Biomass producer gas presents a very promising alternative fuel to diesel since it is a renewable and clean burning fuel having similar properties to those of diesel. In this outline, a multi-cylinder diesel engine is experimentally optimized for maximum diesel savings, lower emissions, and without any excessive vibration of the engine using sawdust biomass as producer gas. Emission parameters of the double-fuel engine at diverse gas flow rates are contrasted with those of diesel at distinctive load conditions. The study brings out that the greatest diesel reserve happens to be 80% at 8 kW load without any engine issue in dual-fuel mode. Carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in dual-fuel mode are more contrasted with diesel at all test extents. Smoke opacity and oxide of nitrogen (NO) emission values in dual-fuel mode are less contrasted with diesel.     

Performance, emission and economic assessment of clove stem oil–diesel blended fuels as alternative fuels for diesel engines

In this study the performance, emission and economic evaluation of using the clove stem oil (CSO)–diesel blended fuels as alternative fuels for diesel engine have been carried out. Experiments were performed to evaluate the impact of the CSO–diesel blended fuels on the engine performance and emissions. The societal life cycle cost (LCC) was chosen as an important indicator for comparing alternative fuel operating modes. The LCC using the pure diesel fuel, 25% CSO and 50% CSO–diesel blended fuels in diesel engine are analysed. These costs include the vehicle first cost, fuel cost and exhaust emissions cost. A complete macroeconomic assessment of the effect of introducing the CSO–diesel blended fuels to the diesel engine is not included in the study. Engine tests show that performance parameters of the CSO–diesel blended fuels do not differ greatly from those of the pure diesel fuel. Slight power losses, combined with an increase in fuel consumption, were experienced with the CSO–diesel blended fuels. This is due to the low heating value of the CSO–diesel blended fuels. Emissions of CO and HC are low for the CSO–diesel blended fuels. NO_x emissions were increased remarkably when the engine was fuelled with the 50% CSO–diesel blended fuel operation mode. A remarkable reduction in the exhaust smoke emissions can be achieved when operating on the CSO–diesel blended fuels. Based on the LCC analysis, the CSO–diesel blended fuels would not be competitive with the pure diesel fuel, even though the environmental impact of emission is valued monetarily. This is due to the high price of the CSO.     

Recent progress in the development of diesel surrogate fuels

There has been much recent progress in the area of surrogate fuels for diesel. In the last few years, experiments and modeling have been performed on higher molecular weight components of relevance to diesel fuel such as n-hexadecane (n-cetane) and 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (iso-cetane). Chemical kinetic models have been developed for all the n-alkanes up to 16 carbon atoms. Also, there has been experimental and modeling work on lower molecular weight surrogate components such as n-decane and n-dodecane that are most relevant to jet fuel surrogates, but are also relevant to diesel surrogates where simulation of the full boiling point range is desired. For two-ring compounds, experimental work on decalin and tetralin recently has been published. For esters, kinetic mechanisms for compounds of lower molecular weights but similar to those found in typical biodiesel blendstocks also have been published. For multi-component surrogate fuel mixtures, recent work on modeling of these mixtures and comparisons to real diesel fuel is reviewed. Detailed chemical kinetic models for surrogate fuels are very large in size, so it is noteworthy that significant progress also has been made in improving the mechanism reduction tools that are needed to make these large models practicable in multi-dimensional reacting flow simulations of diesel combustion. Nevertheless, major research gaps remain. In the case of iso-alkanes, there are experiments and modeling work on only one of relevance to diesel: iso-cetane. Also, the iso-alkanes in diesel are lightly branched and no detailed chemical kinetic models or experimental investigations are available for such compounds. More components are needed to fill out the iso-alkane boiling point range. For the aromatic class of compounds, there has been little work for compounds in the boiling point range of diesel. Most of the new work has been on alkyl aromatics that are of the range C7-C9, below the C10-C20 range that is needed. For the chemical classes of cycloalkanes and esters, experiments and modeling on higher molecular weight components are warranted. Finally for multi-component surrogates needed to treat real diesel, the inclusion of higher molecular weight components is needed in models and experimental investigations.     

木薯乙醇-柴油混合燃料的生命周期评价

文章对E10,E15,E20及柴油进行生命周期评价。结果表明:与传统柴油相比,E10的全生命周期能耗与柴油相当,E15和E20全生命周期分别节能4.6%和6%;在全生命周期碳排放方面,E10,E15和E20分别减排2%,3.04%,4.1%;在标准排放物方面,除NOx增排外,SOx,PM10,CO,VOC均达到减排的效果,其中VOC,PM10的减排效果较为明显。     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in flames, in diesel fuels, and in diesel emissions

Numerous chemical analyses of gaseous and particulate samples from laboratory flames provide a library of data on the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) species found in diverse flame types burning fuels consisting of pure gaseous hydrocarbons. The diesel fuels utilized by the more complex combustion in compression ignition engines are composed of thousands of hydrocarbon species. Mass spectrometry by the laser microprobe and gas chromatography were used in a complementary manner to distinguish the PAHs originating in the fuel from those produced by engine combustion. The C_xH_y PAH products of premixed and diffusion flame processes, which also occur in the unsteady diesel combustion, range in mass from 128 u (two rings, x=10, y=8) to beyond 350 u (eight rings, x=28, y=14). Graphs of the number of hydrogen atoms y vs the number of carbon atoms x for the species found by many investigators of laboratory flames show these pyrogenic PAHs to lie on or near the staircase curve that describes the most stable, pericondensed, benzenoid PAHs. In contrast, samples of diesel fuels from the United Kingdom and the United States contain petrogenic alkyl-PAHs with high hydrogen contents. Samples of diesel particulate emissions typical of the 1990s from two different sources display the full mass range of PAHs from 128 to 350 u, including both the benzenoid PAHs and the alkyl-PAHs. Thus diesel emissions, in general, may contain petrogenic fuel components ranging up to 206 u and also the combustion-generated four- to seven-ring species in the 228 to 302 u mass range that have greater carcinogenic potency. The absence of petrogenic components larger than 206 u facilitates their detection and delineation from pyrogenic PAHs by methods of chemical analysis.     

Sulfur content of gasoline and diesel fuels in northern China

In order to investigate vehicle fuel quality in northern China, the sulfur content of fuels purchased from the market has been studied. 235 samples from urban areas and highway service stations were collected and tested with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. 88% of the gasoline samples contained sulfur below 500 ppm, the limit then in effect, and 92.5% of the diesel fuel samples were below 2000 ppm, the required limit. China's Ministry of Environmental Protection recommend lower sulfur to assure that the vehicles using the fuels comply with the China III emission standards—those limits are 150 ppm sulfur for gasoline and 350 ppm for diesel fuel. The recommended limits were not often met: in Jinan, Shanghai, Changchun and Xi'an, 0%, 11%, 46% and 60% of the gasoline sampled were below 150 ppm sulfur. For samples from highway stations, only 14–58% of gasoline was under the 150 ppm sulfur and only 0–67% of diesel samples below 350 ppm in different regions. This mismatch, between fuel sulfur levels that would enable vehicle emission controls to operate effectively, and the actual fuel sulfur levels at service stations, results in unnecessarily high pollution from potentially cleaner vehicles.     

Characterization of the lubricity of bio-oil/diesel fuel blends by high frequency reciprocating test rig

The diesel fuel was mixed with the rice husk bio-oil using some emulsifiers based on the theory of Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB). The lubricity of the bio-oil/diesel fuel blend was studied on a High Frequency Reciprocating Test Rig (HFRR) according to ASTM D 6079–2004. The microscopic topography and chemical composition on the worn surface were analyzed respectively using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The profile and surface roughness of the rubbed trace were measured using a profilometer. The chemical group and composition were studied by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). The results showed that the lubrication ability of the present fuel blend was better than that of the Chinese conventional diesel fuel (number zero). However, the anti-corrosion and anti-wear properties of the fuel blend were not satisfactory in comparison with those of conventional diesel fuel.     

Combustion of fat and vegetable oil derived fuels in diesel engines

In this article, the status of fat and oil derived diesel fuels with respect to fuel properties, engine performance, and emissions is reviewed. The fuels considered are primarily the methyl esters of fatty acids derived from a variety of vegetable oils and animal fats, and referred to as biodiesel. The major obstacle to widespread use of biodiesel is the high cost relative to petroleum. Economics of biodiesel production are discussed, and it is concluded that the price of the feedstock fat or oil is the major factor determining biodiesel price.Biodiesel is completely miscible with petroleum diesel fuel, and is generally tested as a blend. The use of biodiesel in neat or blended form has no effect on the energy based engine fuel economy. The lubricity of these fuels is superior to conventional diesel, and this property is imparted to blends at levels above 20 vol%. Emissions of PM can be reduced dramatically through use of biodiesel in engines that are not high lube oil emitters. Emissions of NO_x increase significantly for both neat and blended fuels in both two- and four-stroke engines. The increase may be lower in newer, lower NO_x emitting four-strokes, but additional data are needed to confirm this conclusion. A discussion of available data on unregulated air toxins is presented, and it is concluded that definitive studies have yet to be performed in this area. A detailed discussion of important biodiesel properties and recommendations for future research is presented. Among the most important recommendations is the need for all future studies to employ biodiesel of well-known composition and purity, and to report detailed analyses. The purity levels necessary for achieving adequate engine endurance, compatibility with coatings and elastomers, cold flow properties, stability, and emissions performance must be better defined.     

Combustion characteristics and emissions of Fischer-Tropsch diesel fuels in IC engines

This article gives a condensed overview of Gas-to-Liquid (GTL), Biomass-to-Liquid (BTL) and Coal-to-Liquid (CTL) theory and technology by the use of Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) processes. Variations of the F-T process can be used to tailor the fuel properties to meet end user needs as well as aid vehicle manufacturers in achieving forthcoming emission regulations. They do this by improving engine-out emissions and exhaust gas after-treatment performance. Regardless of feedstock or process, F-T diesel fuels typically have a number of very desirable properties, including a very high cetane number. This review focuses on how fuel properties impact pollutant emissions and draws together data from various studies that have been carried out over the past few years. Reduced emission levels as demonstrated in several publications have been attributed to several chemical and physical characteristics of the F-T diesel fuels including reduced density, ultra-low sulfur levels, low aromatic content and high cetane rating, but not all of them contribute to the same extent to the emissions reduction.     

Biodiesel fuel in diesel micro-turbine engines: Modelling and experimental evaluation

Many performance and emission tests have been carried out in reciprocating diesel engines that use biodiesel fuel over the past years and very few in gas turbine engines. This work aims at assessing the thermal performance and emissions at full and partial loads of a 30 kW diesel micro-turbine engine fed with diesel, biodiesel and their blends as fuel. A cycle simulation was performed using the Gate Cycle GE Enter software to evaluate the thermal performance of the 30 kW micro-turbine engine. Performance and emission tests were carried out on a 30 kW diesel micro-turbine engine installed in the NEST laboratories of the Federal University of Itajubá, and the performance results were compared with those of the simulation. There was a good agreement between the simulations and the experimental results from the full load down to about 50% of the load for diesel, biodiesel and their blends. The biodiesel and its blends used as fuel in micro-turbines led to no significant changes in the engine performance and behaviour compared to diesel fuel. The exhaust emissions were evaluated for pure biodiesel and its blends and conventional diesel. The results revealed that the use of biodiesel resulted in a slightly higher CO, lower NO_x and no SO₂ emissions.     

Autoignition reactivity of blends of diesel and biodiesel fuels with butanol isomers

The effect of n-butanol replacement by iso, sec or tert-butanol on the autoignition reactivity of diesel and biodiesel/butanol blends (the total alcohol content being 40% by vol.) was analysed. The study was performed in a constant volume combustion chamber under different initial temperatures (535 °C, ∼600 °C and 650 °C) and n-butanol substitutions. Results show that the effect of the alcohol in both pseudo-binary (diesel fuel/normal, sec, iso or tert-butanol) and pseudo-ternary (diesel fuel/n-butanol/iso, sec or tert-butanol) blends is not that expected from the autoignition properties of the pure isomers. When blended either with diesel or biodiesel fuels, tert-butanol increases the autoignition reactivity of the blend while the other two isomers reduce it. The partial substitution of n-butanol by tert-butanol could be an attractive method for increasing the alcohol content while keeping safe engine operation. Partial substitutions with iso or sec-butanol would promote partially premixed combustion conditions with limited pressure gradient peaks. Chemical kinetics simulations corroborate that the different consumption rates of active radicals from the butanol isomers are responsible for the observed trends. Biodiesel blends are less sensitive to the isomer replacing n-butanol due to its higher number of secondary CH bonds when compared to diesel fuel.     

Biodiesel: A new Oildorado?

Guaranteeing tax reductions and exemptions, the European governments intend to increase the share of biofuels in total EU fuel consumption to 5.75% by 2010. The financial support of this EU objective is frequently justified by expected positive environmental impacts, most notably the mitigation of climate change, and by favorable employment effects in the agricultural sector. This paper investigates the environmental and economic implications of the support of rapeseed-based biodiesel as a substitute for fossil diesel. Based on a survey of recent empirical studies, we find that the energy and greenhouse gas balances of this environmental strategy are clearly positive. Yet, it appears to be unclear whether the overall environmental balance is also positive. Most importantly, though, biodiesel is not a cost-efficient emission abatement strategy. Thus, for the abatement of greenhouse gases, we recommend more efficient alternatives based on both renewable and conventional technologies.