Identification of Promising Alternative Mono-Alcohol Fuel Blend Components for Spark Ignition Engines

Saeid Aghahossein Shirazi, Thomas D. Foust and Kenneth F. Reardon
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Saeid Aghahossein Shirazi: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Thomas D. Foust: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Kenneth F. Reardon: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Alcohols are attractive fuel blendstocks for spark ignition engines due to their high octane values and potentially positive influence on performance and emission. Although methanol, ethanol, and butanol have been widely studied, other biomass-derived alcohols may have similar or better properties. However, it is not feasible to experimentally investigate the fuel potential of every molecule. The goals of this study were to develop a methodology for rapid screening of a fuel property database for mono-alcohols and to identify alcohols with the potential of blending to produce advantaged motor gasolines. A database was developed with 13 fuel properties of all saturated C1–C10 mono-alcohols. A decision framework was used to evaluate alcohols suitable for blending in gasoline for spark ignition engines in two scenarios: low-range (up to 15 vol%) blends and high-range (greater than 40 vol%) blends. The low-range blend cases resulted in the identification of 48 alcohols. In the case of high-range blending, only six alcohols were found to be suitable. This is the first study to systematically evaluate all C1–C10 saturated alcohols for blending with gasoline using relevant fuel properties. A novel aspect of this study is the evaluation of the influence of errors in predicted property values. These scenario screenings focus attention on a smaller number of promising candidate molecules, and the approach could be modified for other classes of fuel molecules, engine types, and fuel blending goals.

Keywords: alcohols; fuel properties; advantaged gasoline blends; spark ignition engine; biofuel (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: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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