Research on the Performance Parameters of a Compression-Ignition Engine Fueled by Blends of Diesel Fuel, Rapeseed Methyl Ester and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil

Justas Žaglinskis () and Alfredas Rimkus
Additional contact information
Justas Žaglinskis: Department of Automobile Engineering, Faculty of Transport Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Plytinės Str. 25, 10105 Vilnius, Lithuania
Alfredas Rimkus: Department of Automobile Engineering, Faculty of Transport Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Plytinės Str. 25, 10105 Vilnius, Lithuania

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: This research compares the air pollution (CO, CO 2 , HC, NO x , smoke), energy (brake-specific fuel consumption, thermal efficiency) and noise indicators of a compression ignition engine fueled by first-generation biodiesel (rapeseed methyl ester (RME)) and second-generation biodiesel (hydrogenated vegetable oils (HVO)), or conventional (fossil) diesel fuel blends. The concentration of first- and second-generation biodiesel in two-component blends with diesel fuel was up to 15% and 30% (RME15, RME30, HVO15, and HVO30); for comparison, the three-component blend of diesel fuel, HVO and RME (RME15–HVO15) was considered. The fuels’ physical and chemical properties were tested in a specialized laboratory, and the engine load conditions were ensured by the engine brake stand. Referring to ship power plants with constant-speed engines, detailed research was carried out in one speed mode ( n = 2000 rpm). Studies have shown that two-component fuel blends with HVO are superior to conventional diesel fuel and two-component blends with RME in almost all cases. The HVO in fuel blends reduced fuel consumption up to 1.8%, while the thermal efficiency was close to that of fossil diesel fuel. In addition, a reduction in pollutants was observed: CO by ~12.5–25.0%; HC by ~5.0–12.0%; NO x by ~6.5%; smokiness by ~11–18% (two-component blend) and up to ~29% (three-component blend). The CO 2 and noise characteristics were close to those of fossil diesel fuel; however, the trend of reduced smoke emission was clearly seen. A fundamental obstacle to the wide use of HVO can be seen, however, which is the price, which is 25–90% (depending on the EU country) higher than the price of conventional (fossil) diesel fuel.

Keywords: compression ignition engine; biodiesel; hydrotreated vegetable oil; rapeseed methyl ester; engine efficiency; engine pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/14690/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/14690/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:14690-:d:1256843

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().