Biogenous ethers: production and operation in a diesel engine

Aleksandar Damyanov,Peter Hofmann,Matthäus Siebenhofer,Nikolaus Schwaiger,Thomas Pichler,Bernhard Geringer

doi:10.1007/s41104-018-0028-x

Aleksandar Damyanov, Peter Hofmann + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s41104-018-0028-x

Copy DOI

Abstract

Fuels from lignocellulosic biomass have the potential to contribute to sustainable future mobility targets by reducing the fossil CO2 emissions of the transport sector. Of special interest for the diesel engine are oxygenated fuels, since they can help to solve traditional conflicts of objectives like the soot–NOx trade-off or the efficiency–NOx compromise. Dibutyl ether (DBE) and oxymethylene ethers (OME) are among the most promising fuel candidates. The suitability of these compounds for diesel engines is investigated in this study. The fuels are injected in pure form as well as a diesel–biofuel blend with 20% volumetric biogenic share. During the course of these investigations special attention is given to soot and particle emissions, and also to measured engine efficiency. The combustion tests are combined with an analysis of suitable production paths of the evaluated bio-ethers as second generation biofuels. Production simulation shows high greenhouse gas savings potential, but also high investment costs.

Highlights

Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (POMDME, called oxymethylene ethers or OME), are known to provide almost soot-free combustion and their usage might wipe out major constraints of diesel engines by reducing emissions and improving efficiency
This study investigates the diesel engine suitability of two alternative diesel fuels—dibutyl ether and oxymethylene ether—and describes pathways for their production
An important advantage of the tested fuels is the potential to produce them as second generation biofuels, which considerably mitigates the ethical dispute on the competition between fuel and food production

Summary

Introduction

Among many candidates dibutyl ether (DBE) and oxymethylene ethers (OME) are discussed to be promising alternatives to fossil fuels for future diesel engine powering. They can completely substitute diesel or may be mixed with it. Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (POMDME, called oxymethylene ethers or OME), are known to provide almost soot-free combustion and their usage might wipe out major constraints of diesel engines by reducing emissions and improving efficiency. Dibutyl ether (DBE) is the first representative of the investigated oxygenated fuels It is characterized by a low ignition temperature and a very high cetane number of approx.

Production pathways of biogenous fuels

Production evaluation

Dibutyl ether

Oxymethylene ether

Conclusion and outlook

Eurostat