Showing papers on "Alcohol fuel published in 2008"

Drive Cycle Analysis of Butanol/Diesel Blends in a Light-Duty Vehicle

Abstract: The potential exists to displace a portion of the petroleum diesel demand with butanol and positively impact engine-out particulate matter As a preliminary investigation, 20% and 40% by volume blends of butanol with ultra low sulfur diesel fuel were operated in a 1999 Mercedes Benz C220 turbo diesel vehicle (Euro III compliant) Cold and hot start urban as well as highway drive cycle tests were performed for the two blends of butanol and compared to diesel fuel In addition, 35 MPH and 55 MPH steady-state tests were conducted under varying road loads for the two fuel blends Exhaust gas emissions, fuel consumption, and intake and exhaust temperatures were acquired for each test condition Filter smoke numbers were also acquired during the steady-state tests

Improvement of combustion and emissions in diesel engines by means of enhanced mixture formation based on flash boiling of mixed fuel

Abstract: A novel approach to reduce diesel engine emissions at relatively low injection pressures is proposed. This approach is based on the use of a mixed fuel where an additive or a low boiling point fuel such as CO2, gas fuel, or gasoline is mixed with a higher boiling point fuel such as diesel gas oil. When producing such a fuel, the vapour-liquid equilibrium in the two-phase region where the liquid and vapour phases of both components coexist is taken into account. In designing a mixed fuel, the authors intend to control both the physical process in the spray such as fuel evaporation and vapour air mixing and the chemical processes including spontaneous ignition and with reactions with regard to NOx, particulate matter (PM), and hydrocarbon (HC) formation. In this study flash boiling of mixed fuel is particularly focused on enhancing the mixing process in the spray because it has the potential to achieve fast evaporation and relatively lean and homogeneous mixtures. Experiments were carried out using two types of mixed fuel, both of which can generate flash boiling during injection events. In an experiment using a rapid compression machine (RCM) and an optical engine, mixed fuels consisting of liquefied CO2 as an additive and n-tridecane representing gas oil were employed with the aim of simultaneously reducing soot and NOx emissions. The high-speed images acquired for sprays reacting in the RCM and the engine clearly showed a significant reduction of soot formation in the spray. Reductions of soot and NOx emissions as well as the fuel consumption were also confirmed by emission measurements and a combustion analysis respectively. In other experiments, different types of mixedfuel consisting of gas or gasoline and gas oil were tested to see the effects on both the evaporation and ignition processes. The result of an engine experiment showed marked reductions of soot and HC emissions and fuel consumption.

Determination of Ethanol Fuel Adulteration by Methanol Using Partial Least-Squares Models Based on Fourier Transform Techniques

Abstract: The use of ethanol fuel is becoming worldwide and Brazil is the largest consumer of ethanol fuel as hydrated ethyl alcohol fuel (AEHC). Due to the similarities of the physical-chemical properties of ethanol and methanol, ethanol fuel is being adulterated with methanol. In the present work, we propose the use of partial least-squares regression (PLS) calibration models based on Fourier transform mid-infrared (FTMIR) and Fourier transform near-infrared (FTNIR) measurements as a fast, precise, and accurate method to evaluate the quality of AEHC as well as to detect its adulteration with methanol. Eighty mixtures of methanol/ethanol/water standards were prepared. Sixty were used for calibration, and twenty, for validation. The validation samples were also analyzed by gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC-FID) to determine the ethanol and methanol content. The results have shown that among the two investigated spectroscopic techniques, PLS/FTNIR presented the best performance for the detection of methanol with a root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP % w/w) of 0.15 as compared to the value of 0.54 obtained by the FTMIR model, while the GC-FID results presented a prediction error of 0.52 (% w/w). The minimum detected net concentration of MeOH with the FTNIR model was ca. 0.51 (% w/w).

Investigation on Performance and Emission Characteristics of CI Engine Fuelled with Producer Gas and Esters of Hingan (Balanites)Oil in Dual Fuel Mode

Abstract: Partial combustion of biomass in the gasifier generates producer gas that can be used for heating purposes and as supplementary or sole fuel in internal combustion engines. In this study, the virgin biomass obtained from hingan shell is used as the feedstock for gasifier to generate producer gas. The gasifier-engine system is operated on diesel and on esters of vegetable oil of hingan in liquid fuel mode operation and then on liquid fuel and producer gas combination in dual fuel mode operation. The performance and emission characteristics of the CI engine is analyzed by running the engine in liquid fuel mode operation and in dual fuel mode operation at different load conditions with respect to maximum diesel savings in the dual fuel mode operation. It was observed that specific energy consumption in the dual fuel mode of operation is found to be in the higher side at all load conditions. The brake thermal efficiency of the engine using diesel or hingan oil methyl ester (HOME) is higher than that of dual fuel mode operation. A diesel replacement in the tune of 60% in dual fuel mode is possible with the use of hingan shell producer gas. The emissions parameters such CO, HC, NOx, CO2 and smoke are higher in the case of dual fuel mode of operation as compared to that of liquid fuel mode. Keywords—Esters, performance, producer gas and vegetable oil.

Methods of denitrogenating diesel fuel

Abstract: A process for denitrogenating diesel fuel includes contacting diesel fuel containing one or more nitrogen compounds with an acid ionic liquid in an extraction zone to selectively remove the nitrogen compound(s) and produce a denitrogenated diesel fuel effluent containing denitrogenated diesel fuel and acid ionic liquid containing nitrogen species; and separating denitrogenated diesel fuel from the denitrogenated diesel fuel effluent.

Experimental investigation of effects of bio-additives on fuel economy of the gasoline engine

Abstract: The matter extracted from palm oil was considered as gasoline additive. The effect of various percentages (0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%) of the bio-additives on fuel economy of SI engine respectively running on prime gasoline, gasoline with known components, ethanol gasoline, and methanol gasoline under typical urban operation condition 2000 r/min was investigated. The results showed that the bio-additives can remarkably improve the fuel economy of SI engine while operating on all kinds of fuel. The optimal ratio of bio-additive to gasoline depends on the fuel used and on the different engine operating conditions. Besides, the experiments of constant volume combustion bomb, analysis of in cylinder processes, the synchrotron radiation and high-temperature friction were conducted to probe into the mechanism of the bio-additive impact on fuel economy. It indicated that the bio-additives can increase the maximum cylinder combustion pressure, improve exhaust emissions and largely reduce the frication coefficient.

Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in a Selected Emulsified Fuel Ratio and Comparing It to Diesel Fuel

Abstract: In this present work, investigations are carried out to study the performance and emission characteristics of adding hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an additive with the selected ratio of the emulsifie...

Impact of High Sulfur Military JP-8 Fuel on Heavy Duty Diesel Engine EGR Cooler Condensate

Abstract: Low-sulfur “clean” diesel fuel has been mandated in the US and Europe. However, quality of diesel fuel, particularly the sulfur content, varies significantly in other parts of the world. Due to logistical issues in various theaters of operation, the Army is often forced to rely on local fuel supplies, which exposes vehicles to diesel fuel or jet fuel (JP-8) with elevated levels of sulfur. Modern engines typically use cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to meet emissions regulations. Using high-sulfur fuels and cooled EGR elevates problems associated with cooler fouling and corrosion of engine components. Hence, an experimental study has been carried out in a heavy-duty diesel engine running on standard JP-8 fuel and fuel doped with 2870 ppm of sulfur. Gas was sampled from the EGR cooler and analyzed using a condensate collection device developed according to a modified ASTM 3226-73T standard. Engine-out emissions were analyzed in parallel. Analysis of results indicates significantly increased levels of sulfur-dioxide and particulate mass with high-sulfur fuel, but negligible amounts of condensed sulfuric acid under normal operating temperatures.

Advances and prospects of methand fuel

Abstract: With depleting fossil fuel resources,energy consumption will be changed to renewable energy. Methanol fuel as a highly-efficient and clean alternative fuel,can be used not only to fuel internal combustion engine vehicles in order to replace gasoline and diesel today,but also to fuel fuel-cell vehicles in the future,and methanol as an important feedstock can be used to synthesize gasoline,dimethyl ether (DME),hydrogen,etc. There is a variety of feedstocks to synthesize methanol commercially,such as natural gas,coal,heavy oil,naphtha in the fossil energy age,and biomass,H2 and CO2 in the renewable energy age. The commercial technology to produce methanol fuel is mature and the large scale production equipment has been established all around the world. Methanol fuel is an ideal energy carrier to meet the demand of sustainable development of energy consumption from fossil energy to renewable energy. With abundant coal resources in China,it is strategically significant to choose methanol fuel as its alternative fuel.

High efficiency alcohol fuel engine

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine adapted to combust alcohol blend fuels (i.e., fuels containing greater than 20% alcohol by volume), a dilute combustion mixture (e.g., with substantial EGR), intake air cooling, and latent cooling caused by vaporization of the alcohol fuel, are used together with a compact combustion chamber (in which the distance between the spark plug tip and furthest point of the combustion chamber is less than one-half the cylinder bore diameter) and controlled spark retardation to enable the use of a high compression ratio (greater than 15:1), for improved efficiency without triggering auto-ignition. Thermal brake efficiency significantly exceeds that for conventional gasoline engines, thereby improving the potential cost-effectiveness of alcohol fuels. Stoichiometric operation is used for optimal emissions control.

Fuel estimating device

Abstract: A requested injection time InjT necessary for a fuel injector to inject a fuel per one combustion cycle is computed in response to a position of an accelerator manipulated by a driver, an injectable time InjMax per one combustion cycle is computed on the basis of an engine speed, and whether or not the requested injection time InjT is larger than the injectable time InjMax is determined. Then, when it is positively determined that the requested injection time InjT is larger than the injectable time InjMax, it is estimated that an alternate fuel (for example an alcohol fuel) other than a regular fuel (for example gasoline) is blended with a fuel in a fuel tank.

Device for controlling internal combustion engines

Abstract: A device for controlling an internal combustion engine which uses, as the fuel, a heavy fuel, a light fuel, an alcohol fuel and a mixture thereof, comprising a heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector 39 capable of detecting the ratio of the heavy fuel and the light fuel, and an air-fuel ratio detector 41 for detecting the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas, wherein the amount of fuel injection is calculated based on the heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector so that the air-fuel ratio becomes a target air-fuel ratio. The heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector is diagnosed if it is in an abnormal condition based on a difference between the target air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio detector while the engine temperature is in a particular temperature region. The heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector can be correctly diagnosed if it is in an abnormal condition even when an alcohol-mixed fuel is used.

Fuel injection control device for internal combustion engine

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve low temperature startability in a cylinder injection type engine when alcohol fuel (100% alcohol or mixed fuel containing alcohol). SOLUTION: When alcohol concentration of the fuel is not less than prescribed concentration and cooling water temperature is not higher than prescribed temperature, it is judged that injected fuel is not easily gasified, start target fuel pressure is set to an appropriate value according to alcohol concentration of fuel and cooling water temperature, and fuel injection of a fuel injection valve 21 is started after raising actual fuel pressure to pressure close to the start target fuel pressure by a high pressure pump 31 in start of the engine 11. Although high pressure fuel is directly injected into a cylinder by the fuel injection valve 21 after fuel injection start, time from fuel injection to start of combustion is shortened to start combustion and accelerate gasification of injected fuel before much injected fuel adheres on a cylinder inside wall surface, a piston and the like by executing compression stroke injection in which fuel is injected in compression stroke during engine start or a prescribed period after engine start. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Analysis and identification of gaps in the research for the production of second-generation liquid transportation biofuels

Abstract: Research gaps were found in cellulosic ethanol, Fischer-Tropsch liquids and green diesel, dimethyl ether and P-Series fuels. Lignocellulosic ethanol is derived from pre-treatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation of the resulting sugars from cellulosic sources such as wood chips, agricultural residues, and grasses. Green diesel is a high boiling component, not derived from vegetable oil, obtained either from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis or through pyrolysis of biomass. Dimethyl ether has potential as a high quality fuel for diesel engines and is produced by converting syngas into methanol followed by dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether. P-Series fuel is a mixture of ethanol, methyltetrahydrofuran, pentanes and higher alkanes, and butane. Methyltetrahydrofuran may be produced from dehydration of pentose and glucose sugars to form furfural and levulinic acid respectively, which when hydrogenated result in methyltetrahydrofuran. Common denominators in gaps for these different fuels and the biochemical or thermochemical processes used to produce them are given by three main areas. These are: catalysts and biocatalysts; feedstock preparation and bioprocessing; and systems integration. In the biocatalyst (or catalyst) area research is needed to achieve more robust, versatile, and cost-effective catalysts. The catalytic systems must be less subject to inhibition and more stable in the presence of chemically complex feedstocks derived from biomass materials. With bioprocessing, the gaps lie in economic enzyme production, reduction of enzyme inhibition, development of pentose utilising and cellulase producing micro-organisms, feedstock preparation (pre-treatment), and inhibitor removal. For thermochemical systems, the list is analogous except the term 'catalyst' replaces 'enzyme' or 'microorganism'. Gaps were identified in feedstock preparation, with this term being broadly defined. Feedstocks are defined as biomass materials entering the process, as well as gases derived from biomass and used for catalytic formation of diesel or other fuels. Pre-treatment of cellulosic materials so that they are more efficiently converted to fermentable sugars is one form of feedstock preparation, and research that addresses the fundamental science and process development of pre-treatments should be viewed as a research gap. Clean-up of gases derived from biomass before the gases enter a catalytic step is another important research gap. Both areas impact on the efficiency, longevity, and cost of biocatalysts and catalysts. Systems integration and the integration of bioengineering with chemical engineering for cost-effective production and use of second-generation fuels represents a third research gap. This area encompasses gaps that must be addressed in better understanding the infrastructure required to deliver second-generation fuels and policies that would accelerate their introduction to the market place.

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a power generation part as an electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly formed of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a fuel electrode arranged in contact with one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and an oxygen electrode arranged in contact with the other side of the membrane, and a fuel supply part for storing and supplying an alcohol fuel to the fuel electrode The fuel supply part is composed of a high-concentration fuel tank for storing and supplying a highly-concentrated fuel and a water fuel tank for storing and supplying a water fuel The fuel is gasified and supplied to the power generation part through a fuel gasification/supply layer provided between at least the high-concentration fuel tank and the fuel electrode

The Effect of Sunflower Oil Methyl Ester and Diesel Fuel Blend on the Performance of a Diesel Engine

Abstract: The viscosities of raw vegetable oils are quite higher than diesel fuel. To lower the viscosity, sunflower oil methyl ester was mixed with diesel fuel and then tested in a single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled diesel engine as an alternative fuel. The study examines short-term engine tests with sunflower oil methyl ester fuel compared to number 2 diesel fuel (No. 2 D). Engine tests were carried out fully loaded at different speed ranges. The engine torque and power of sunflower oil methyl ester-diesel fuel blend was lower than that of diesel fuel in the range of 6–9%, and specific fuel consumption was higher than that of diesel fuel by approximately 3%. CO2, CO, and NOx emissions of sunflower methyl ester were lower than those of diesel fuel.

Combustion and emission characteristics of a dual fuel engine operated with mahua oil and liquefied petroleum gas

Abstract: For the present work, a single cylinder diesel engine was modified to work in dual fuel mode. To study the feasibility of using methyl ester of mahua oil as pilot fuel, it was used as pilot fuel and liquefied petroleum gas was used as primary fuel. In dual fuel mode, pilot fuel quantity and injector opening pressure are the few variables, which affect the performance and emission of dual fuel engine. Hence, in the present work, pilot fuel quantity and injector opening pressure were varied. From the test results, it was observed that the pilot fuel quantity of 5 mg per cycle and injector opening pressure of 200 bar results in higher brake thermal efficiency. Also the exhaust emissions such as smoke, unburnt hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide are lower than other pressures and pilot fuel quantities. The higher injection pressure and proper pilot fuel quantity might have resulted in better atomization, penetration of methyl ester of mahua oil and better combustion of fuel.

Comprehensive gasoline and diesel fuel additive

Abstract: A comprehensive fuel additive for gasoline, diesel and ultra low sulfur diesel fuels intended to improve engine combustion efficiency, improve diesel fuel cetane levels, improve diesel and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel lubricity, reduce engine component friction, reduce engine deposit buildup, reduce gasoline and diesel fuel bio-contamination and reduce pollutant exhaust emissions produced by gasoline and diesel fuel powered internal combustion engines. The present invention further provides a fuel additive that does not increase the sulfur level of diesel fuel beyond 15 ppm.

Effects of Octane Number on Gasoline Engine Performance

Abstract: The effects of octane number on engine power output,fuel consumption,exhaust emissions and combustion characteristics were investigated on a gasoline engine complying with China III stage emission standard and a gasoline engine complying with China IV stage emission standard.The test results show that the fuel with excessively high octane number deteriorates the fuel consumption,especially at low or middle loads.The fuel consumption of the engine fuelled with 97# gasoline is up to 6.5 % higher than that of 90# gasoline.When using high octane number gasoline,the engine power of the China IV emission gasoline engine with a knock control system can be improved,and the torque of the engine fuelled with 97# gasoline is up to 4.6 % higher than that of 90# gasoline,but octane number has no significant effect on the power output of the China III emission gasoline engine without knock control system.It is also observed that high octane number fuel increases THC emissions.The results of combustion analysis show that high octane number gasoline suppresses the rate of combustion and increases the combustion duration,resulting in the increase of fuel consumption and THC emissions.

The mixing alcohol fuels of high density and method of manufacture

Abstract: Disclosed is a high density mixed alcohol fuel, which is prepared by using methanol or ethanol as a main material. More particularly, in the disclosed high density mixed alcohol fuel, 35 to 45 wt% of methanol or ethanol, 5 to 7wt% of isopropanol, 5 to 8 wt% of butanol, 15 to 25wt% of toluene, 5 to 10 wt% of non-aromatic raffinate, 5 to 10 wt% of pentane, 15 to 25wt% of naphtha, and 5 to 10 wt% of xylene are sequentially mixed; or 10 to 25 wt% of methanol or ethanol, 4 to 14 wt% of C5, 4 to 14 wt% of mixed oil, 50 to 55wt% of naphtha, 1 to 6wt% of isopropanol, 10 to 15wt% of MTB, 5 to 9wt% of aromatics, and 1 to 7wt% of butanol are sequentially mixed. Accordingly, the fuel can replace conventional gasoline due to a reduced production cost, and can reduce the amount of exhaust gas due to complete combustion of ethanol, thereby achieving an environmental pollution prevention effect. Also, it is possible to directly apply the fuel to a vehicle without changing an inlet device or an inlet port of the vehicle. Also, since the fuel has almost the same output power as gasoline, and a freezing point lower than gasoline, it is possible to maintain start ability of the vehicle, even in a cold environment.

Starting device for flexible fuel vehicle

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a starting device for a flexible fuel vehicle effectively reducing consumption of gasoline fuel, by saving on the gasoline fuel in low-temperature start of an engine. SOLUTION: The starting device for a flexible fuel vehicle improves startability of an engine, by using mixed fuel mixing the gasoline fuel with high ignitability into alcohol fuel in the low-temperature start of the engine 1. The starting device comprises: a sleep timer 34 measuring an unoperated time from previous engine stop to engine restart; a cooling water temperature sensor 32 detecting a temperature of cooling water; and a gasoline fuel mixed amount calculation means 36 calculating a required mixed amount of the gasoline fuel with respect to the alcohol fuel, based on the cooling water temperature and the unoperated time. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Direct Alcohol Electro-oxidation in an Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cell

Abstract: Anodic reactions in a direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) at intermediate temperature (250 oC) were investigated from the standpoint of achieving high performance. In order to evaluate the temperature effect on the electro-oxidation of small alcohols in the intermediate temperature region, a kinetic study on the electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol on Pt/C was conducted using a single cell fabricated with CsH2PO4 proton conducting solid electrolyte. At 250 oC, the current density of ethanol electro-oxidation is comparable to that of methanol electro-oxidation in a low potential region (< 400 mV vs. RHE). In addition, the analysis of reaction products suggests that C-C bond cleavage in ethanol electro-oxidation can proceed at the intermediate temperature. Through the electrochemical measurements, characteristic features in the alcohol electro-oxidation at the intermediate temperature were discussed.

Dissolving Oxygen in Diesel Fuel as a Way to Make Road Transport More Environmentally Friendly

Abstract: This paper on dissolving oxygen in diesel fuel is from the proceedings of 14th international Conference on Urban Transport and the Environment in the 21st Century, which was held in Malta in 2008. The authors reports on a recent development that uses an improved mechanism of spray to fuel diesel engines; the new spray consists of dissolving air, exhaust gases or oxygen in diesel fuel. This process has a volumetric character and at the appropriate kinetics it is strong enough to be accompanied by the effervescence (bubbling) of the liquid. This paper presents the results of tests demonstrating the impact of oxygen dissolved in diesel fuel on the combustion process in diesel engines. The tests were done in the piston head of an engine equipped with a toroidal combustion chamber and direct injection. The tests measured the main indicators of motor operation, the range of pressure values obtained in the combustion chamber and before the injector, emissions of HC, CO2, CO, NOx, and opacity. The test results show that this new mechanism of fuel spraying can reduce emissions, particularly toxic compounds and carbon dioxide. In addition, fuel disintegration is more efficient with this type of fuel spraying.

Diesel fuel oxidation in storage

Abstract: Diesel fuel should satisfy the European standards of quality even after long-term storage. The oxidation of diesel fuel, factors affecting this process, and their interaction mechanisms were studied in this work. Based on the results, conditions for the long-term storage of diesel fuel, including the type of storage tanks, can be determined.

Fuel cell apparatus

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell apparatus (1), which fuel cell apparatus comprises a fuel cell unit (2), the fuel cells of which enclose an anode (3) and a cathode (4) and an electrolyte (5) there between, a fuel channel (7) for conveying fuel to the anode (3), and a processing apparatus (10) arranged in conjunction with the fuel channel (7) for producing a hydrogenous fuel gas from an alcohol fuel. In the method alcohol fuel is led to the processing apparatus (10) along the fuel channel (7), hydrogenous fuel gas is produced from the alcohol fuel in the processing apparatus (10), fuel gas is discharged from the processing apparatus (10) to the anode (3), fuel gas is combusted on the anode (3), and exhaust gas generated during the combustion of the fuel gas is led from the anode (3) into the fuel channel (7). Water is mixed with the alcohol fuel in the fuel channel (7) before it is conveyed to the processing apparatus (10).