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

Saeid Aghahossein Shirazi,Kenneth F Reardon,Thomas D Foust

doi:10.3390/en13081955

Saeid Aghahossein Shirazi, Kenneth F Reardon + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en13081955

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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.

Highlights

Motor gasoline is the most common transportation fuel for spark ignition (SI) engines and, at least for the near future, it remains the most cost-effective fuel for these engines [1]
We have shown that the use of iso-butanol and 3-methyl-3-pentanol as components in blends of gasoline with lower alcohols is a feasible method to mitigate limitations associated with both high and low volatilities of gasoline blends containing a single alcohol [36]
We suggest that it is of interest to first consider the promise of a candidate alcohol for gasoline blending, and to use retrosynthetic or other techniques to determine production pathways and to ascertain whether the identified alcohols have the potential to be produced at costs and volumes necessary for commercial relevance

Summary

Introduction

Motor gasoline is the most common transportation fuel for spark ignition (SI) engines and, at least for the near future, it remains the most cost-effective fuel for these engines [1]. Motor gasoline is defined as the finished fuel that is delivered to the consumer most commonly by a fuel pump at a refueling station for use in their SI engine powered vehicle. Finished motor gasoline varies by country based on a number of factors such as emission regulations and biofuel blending mandates. The predominant motor gasoline in the US is E10, composed of 10 vol% ethanol and 90 vol% petroleum gasoline reformulated for oxygenate blending. The predominant driver for E10 as a motor fuel in the US has been the compliance with the volume and bending mandates contained in the US Renewable. E10 supplements petroleum sources with ethanol for the production of motor gasoline and adds to supply diversity, CO2 emission reductions, and other benefits associated with renewable fuel use. There is an overlooked opportunity to produce a motor gasoline blend that enables SI engines with better performance

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