Beyond Ethanol and Biodiesel : The Potential of Glycerol Derivatives and C1–C4 Alcohols for Motor Fuel Applications
(2024)- Abstract
- Certain oxygenated compounds, called oxygenates, when blended with gasoline, have the ability to inhibit the occurrence of engine knock, thus helping improve spark-ignition engine efficiency. Similarly, oxygenates can also be added to diesel fuel to decrease the exhaust emissions—soot in particular—from diesel engines. Although ethanol and biodiesel have had widespread use as oxygenates for gasoline and diesel fuel, respectively, certain types of glycerol-derived compounds—such as glycerol tert-butyl ether (GTBE)—as well as other alcohols may be technically superior in a number of aspects. This work provides an investigation into the potential of glycerol derivatives and C1–C4 alcohols to be used in motor fuel... (More)
- Certain oxygenated compounds, called oxygenates, when blended with gasoline, have the ability to inhibit the occurrence of engine knock, thus helping improve spark-ignition engine efficiency. Similarly, oxygenates can also be added to diesel fuel to decrease the exhaust emissions—soot in particular—from diesel engines. Although ethanol and biodiesel have had widespread use as oxygenates for gasoline and diesel fuel, respectively, certain types of glycerol-derived compounds—such as glycerol tert-butyl ether (GTBE)—as well as other alcohols may be technically superior in a number of aspects. This work provides an investigation into the potential of glycerol derivatives and C1–C4 alcohols to be used in motor fuel applications, focusing on engine performance and exhaust emissions. To that end, extensive engine tests were carried out on two diesel engines and on a modified spark-ignition CFR engine. The SI tests, which had a special focus on the knock behavior of the fuels, also included an investigation of the use of C1–C4 alcohols as neat fuels. The results showed that, in general, the glycerol derivatives and the C1–C4 alcohols were effective in decreasing the knock tendency of their blends with a gasoline surrogate, with the exception of n-butanol. When used as neat fuels, the results clearly showed the distinct knock behaviors exhibited by the different alcohols, with n-butanol again producing the poorest results, whereas isopropanol demonstrated excellent knock resistance. Regarding the diesel tests, the results showed that the glycerol derivatives and isobutanol (the only alcohol included in those tests), all performed well in decreasing soot emissions, highlighting the beneficial effect of fuel-bound oxygen. In summary, glycerol derivatives and C1–C4 alcohols can be effective in not only inhibiting knock in SI engines or decreasing soot emissions from diesel engines. When such compounds are produced from renewable sources, their usage may also displace the usage of fossil fuels, thus contributing to the decarbonization of the transportation sector. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/c2629706-dfc4-447a-9d1c-204351ecf08a
- author
- Olson, Andre Louis LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Associate Prof. Brequigny, Pierre, University of Orléans, France.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-11-01
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- pages
- 243 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- defense location
- Lecture Hall M:B, building M, Ole Römers väg 1F, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund. The dissertation will be live streamed, but part of the premises is to be excluded from the live stream.
- defense date
- 2024-11-29 10:15:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-8104-246-7
- 978-91-8104-245-0
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c2629706-dfc4-447a-9d1c-204351ecf08a
- date added to LUP
- 2024-11-01 14:51:07
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 15:08:14
@phdthesis{c2629706-dfc4-447a-9d1c-204351ecf08a,
abstract = {{Certain oxygenated compounds, called oxygenates, when blended with gasoline, have the ability to inhibit the occurrence of engine knock, thus helping improve spark-ignition engine efficiency. Similarly, oxygenates can also be added to diesel fuel to decrease the exhaust emissions—soot in particular—from diesel engines. Although ethanol and biodiesel have had widespread use as oxygenates for gasoline and diesel fuel, respectively, certain types of glycerol-derived compounds—such as glycerol <i>tert</i>-butyl ether (GTBE)—as well as other alcohols may be technically superior in a number of aspects. This work provides an investigation into the potential of glycerol derivatives and C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>4</sub> alcohols to be used in motor fuel applications, focusing on engine performance and exhaust emissions. To that end, extensive engine tests were carried out on two diesel engines and on a modified spark-ignition CFR engine. The SI tests, which had a special focus on the knock behavior of the fuels, also included an investigation of the use of C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>4</sub> alcohols as neat fuels. The results showed that, in general, the glycerol derivatives and the C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>4</sub> alcohols were effective in decreasing the knock tendency of their blends with a gasoline surrogate, with the exception of <i>n</i>-butanol. When used as neat fuels, the results clearly showed the distinct knock behaviors exhibited by the different alcohols, with <i>n</i>-butanol again producing the poorest results, whereas isopropanol demonstrated excellent knock resistance. Regarding the diesel tests, the results showed that the glycerol derivatives and isobutanol (the only alcohol included in those tests), all performed well in decreasing soot emissions, highlighting the beneficial effect of fuel-bound oxygen. In summary, glycerol derivatives and C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>4</sub> alcohols can be effective in not only inhibiting knock in SI engines or decreasing soot emissions from diesel engines. When such compounds are produced from renewable sources, their usage may also displace the usage of fossil fuels, thus contributing to the decarbonization of the transportation sector.}},
author = {{Olson, Andre Louis}},
isbn = {{978-91-8104-246-7}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{11}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Beyond Ethanol and Biodiesel : The Potential of Glycerol Derivatives and C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>4</sub> Alcohols for Motor Fuel Applications}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/198782952/Andre_Louis_Olson_-_Thesis.pdf}},
year = {{2024}},
}