Expediency of Green Gasoline in Internal Combustion Engines

Abstract

The high demand for fossil fuel-derived energy and the dangerous pollutants emitted by hydrocarbon fuel-powered internal combustion engines are two major concerns for the world’s transportation sector. There is an urgent need to investigate the utilization of renewable sources as an alternative option for the production of energy- and value-added products. Bio-derived energy sources have become one of the most promising options for research related to fuel production, performance and economics. These green fuels are renewable and eco-friendly as the feedstock utilized during their production can be naturally developed and possesses high sustainability. Renewable gasoline, also known as “green gasoline”, is a biomass-derived alternative transportation fuel that can be utilized in spark-ignition (SI) engines. Normally, petroleum gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons having a boiling range of 40–140 °C with a carbon chain length of C4–C8. Isomeric hydrocarbons are analogous to isooctane and have higher octane ratings. All biomass-derived liquids have comparable fuel properties, are non-toxic and have high miscibility with petroleum gasoline and the potential to substitute gasoline as “green gasoline” in SI engines. The utilization of green gasoline will offer a guaranteed supply, reduce harmful emissions and can be used in engines without any kind of modification. Stringent government regulations for the emission levels of vehicles have already led to the use of bio-based fuels. This chapter describes green gasoline utilization in SI engines along with detailed insights and suggestions for alternative renewable fuels for gasoline engines to help meet global fuel concerns.