A Comparative Study of Biofuels and Fischer–Tropsch Diesel Blends on the Engine Combustion Performance for Reducing Exhaust Gaseous and Particulate Emissions

Felipe Andrade Torres, Omid Doustdar, Jose Martin Herreros, Runzhao Li, Robert Poku, Athanasios Tsolakis, Jorge Martins and Silvio A. B. Vieira de Melo
Additional contact information
Felipe Andrade Torres: Industrial Engineering Program, Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40210-630, Brazil
Omid Doustdar: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Jose Martin Herreros: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Runzhao Li: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Robert Poku: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Athanasios Tsolakis: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Jorge Martins: Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal
Silvio A. B. Vieira de Melo: Industrial Engineering Program, Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40210-630, Brazil

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: The worldwide consumption of fossil hydrocarbons in the road transport sector in 2020 corresponded to roughly half of the overall consumption. However, biofuels have been discreetly contributing to mitigate gaseous emissions and participating in sustainable development, and thus leading to the extending of the commercial utilization of internal combustion engines. In this scenario, the present work aims at exploring the effects of alternative fuels containing a blend of 15% ethanol and 35% biodiesel with a 50% fossil diesel (E15D50B35) or 50% Fischer–Tropsch (F-T) diesel (E15FTD50B35) on the engine combustion, exhaust emissions (CO, HC, and NO x ), particulate emissions characteristics as well as the performance of an aftertreatment system of a common rail diesel engine. It was found that one of the blends (E15FTD50B35) showed more than 30% reduction in PM concentration number, more than 25% reduction in mean particle size, and more than 85% reduction in total PM mass with respect to conventional diesel fuel. Additionally, it was found that the E15FTD50B35 blend reduces gaseous emissions of total hydrocarbons (THC) by more than 25% and NO by 3.8%. The oxidation catalyst was effective in carbonaceous emissions reduction, despite the catalyst light-off being slightly delayed in comparison to diesel fuel blends.

Keywords: ethanol; Fischer–Tropsch diesel; exhaust emissions; aftertreatment system; particulate matter; diesel engine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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