Diesel Fuel Research Articles

Explaining the environmental efficiency capability of energy mix innovation among the Nordic countries

Improving the environmental efficiency performance of energy mix is important to the global carbon neutrality goal. Given this motivation, this study delves into providing more explanation about the role of innovation approaches to coal, oil, and natural gas energy resources in the Nordic economies i.e., Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden during the period 2000 to 2019. To achieve this objective and reach an evidence-based insight for policy formulation, the present study leveraged robust panel econometrics estimators that circumvent cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity issues in the investigated blocs. The empirical evidence shows that economic growth (GDP), coal energy, oil and natural gas contribute to the Nordic economies' environmental degradation in the short- and long-run. Contrarily, innovation via environmental-related patents mitigates environmental degradation, especially in the long run. Furthermore, the interaction models, i.e., applying innovative approaches in the energy mix's consumption, can mitigate carbon emissions across the countries, thus significantly improving environmental sustainability. Specifically, innovative approaches in coal, oil, and natural gas consumption improve environmental sustainability by mitigating carbon emissions, thus delivering respective environmental efficiency improvements of ~94%, ~108%, and ~123%. Additionally, Granger causality evidence further suggests that the examined factors are significant drivers of the environmental indicator. Regarding policy insight, this study affirms that further improvement in energy savings is vital to continuously deploying the conventional energy mix.

A novel poly (lactic-acid) and poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blend membrane modified with hesperidin for oily water emulsions separation

The oily wastewater produced by a variety of industrial operations presents a serious threat to both humans and the environment. Separation efficiency, good mechanical stability, high flux, and recyclability are critical parameters for a suitable oil-water separation membrane. In this study, a novel blend membrane of (poly (lactic acid)/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) with hesperidin-NPs was synthesized by using the phase inversion technique to effectively separate oily-water emulsions. Herein, hesperidin (HSP) was harnessed for the first time as a green agent to optimize its content in the polymeric matrix. (FTIR) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (FESEM) Field emission scanning electron microscopy, (CA) contact angle, mechanical tester, pore size and porosity were utilized to comprehensively characterize the manufactured (PLA/PBAT/HSP) membranes. The current work presents the proposed interaction mechanism between the contents of PLA/PBAT/HSP and the interaction mechanism of PLA/PBAT/HSP membrane with H2O molecules. The synthesized (PLA/PBAT/HSP) membrane manifested high wettability and has a 49° water contact angle and oleophobicity under a water contact angle of 146±2° for diesel oil. The PLA/PBAT membrane exhibited a homogeneous and symmetric spongy-like structure from top to bottom across its entire cross-section with very tiny active layer observed at the top surface of the membrane in FESEM images. Meanwhile, incorporating of 0.0125wt.% HSP into the casting solution has resulted in a significant change in the structural morphology. Furthermore, upon adding the HSP to the polymeric matrix, distinct changes in the structure were formed, which resulted in enhancing the mechanical features (tensile strength) of the membranes. Modified membrane with 0.025wt.% HSP displayed an optimal flux for pure water (220.5L/m2.h1) and the modified membranes maintained a high rejection (more than 99%) against oil-water emulsions. Outcomes demonstrated that the improved permeation and separation characteristics of the (PLA/PBAT/HSP) membranes could present a potential option to treat applications that use oily wastewater.

The Impact of RED III Directive on the Use of Renewable Fuels in Transport on the Example of Estonia

Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing use of biofuels worldwide, especially in Europe. The main objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), from transportation. The regulation of fuels produced from biomass and other renewable sources at the EU level is primarily governed by the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). As of today, RED III directive has come into effect, significantly altering the EU fuel market by 2030. The main change involves an increase in the share of renewable fuels in transport and the non-use of first-generation fuels. Since all EU member states are obliged to comply with the RED III directive, it is essential to assess the current status of each member state in meeting the requirements for transport fuels. Therefore, the aim of this article is to analyze the impact of the RED III directive on the use of renewable fuels in the transport sector. Specifically, it provides an overview of various RED directives' requirements, analyzes the shares of renewable fuels in fossil diesel in Estonia under different RED III compliance scenarios, and presents an overview of the situation regarding the use of renewable fuels in Estonia. The article is based on a literature review, and fuel share calculations are based on RED III directive calculation methodologies. The results of the study indicate that if the requirement for the share of renewable energy used in transport is 29%, using only HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) to achieve this goal would require replacing 30.3% of diesel with HVO. In cases where there is a requirement to reduce the greenhouse gas emission intensity of fuels in the transport sector by at least 14.5% by 2030, the volumetric share of HVO fuel must meet certain criteria based on the raw material. For example, fuel produced from residues must contain a minimal amount of biocomponents. In this context, biologically derived oil is initially used, such as in food preparation. Subsequently, after its use in food preparation, it is processed into fuel. The article also addresses cases where biogas is introduced as a renewable component in replacing diesel.

Qualitative Analysis of Nitrogen and Sulfur Compounds in Vacuum Gas Oils via Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

Qualitative Analysis of Nitrogen and Sulfur Compounds in Vacuum Gas Oils via Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Lubricity of Used Lubricating Oil Diluted with Diesel Oil

A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Lubricity of Used Lubricating Oil Diluted with Diesel Oil

Effects of micro- and nano-bubbles on the flotation separation of unburned carbon from coal fly ash

ABSTRACT Nanobubble technology has found extensive use in enhancing the flotation efficiency of various minerals. The utilization of nanobubbles in flotation encompasses bulk nanobubbles, surface nanobubbles, and microbubbles; however, a comprehensive comparison of their respective roles is lacking. Furthermore, there is a dearth of studies on employing nanobubble systems in the flotation of coal fly ash. The coal fly ash characters were initially studied to reveal its ultrafine size (d50: 24.80 μm) and porous structure that includes a multitude of hydrophilic functional groups. These attributes contribute to the inadequate hydrophobicity of unburned carbon within the ash. Subsequently, the effects of different collector types, frother types, and air flow rates on the efficiency of carbon removal using conventional flotation methods were examined. Comparative analysis showed that conventional flotation using diesel oil outperformed that which employed kerosene as the collector. Additionally, higher carbon removal efficiency was achieved using MIBC, with a longer carbon chain length, as the frother, as opposed to sec-Octyl alcohol. Furthermore, a direct relationship between air flow rate and coal fly ash flotation performance was observed – higher air flow rates corresponded to improved flotation outcomes. Finally, a comparison between conventional flotation and nanobubble-assisted flotation (utilizing bulk nanobubbles, surface nanobubbles, and micro-nanobubbles) was conducted. Remarkably, micro-nanobubble flotation yielded the most promising results, with the lowest loss-on-ignition in flotation tailings (3.15%) and the highest removal efficiency of unburned carbon (85.01%). These findings satisfied the loss-on-ignition requirements of Grade I fly ash standards.

Soil Enzyme Response and Calorific Value of Zea mays Used for the Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Diesel Oil

Ensuring a stable and cost-effective energy supply is a major challenge for the International Energy Agency (IEA). Additionally, the effectiveness of vermiculite and dolomite in mitigating the adverse effects of diesel oil, a petroleum-derived product, on plant growth and development, and on the biochemical activity of the soil, were assessed. Therefore, an attempt was made in the study to determine the energy properties of Zea mays, which is suitable for cultivation in contaminated areas. For these purposes, several parameters were analyzed in its biomass, including calorific value (Q), heating value (Hv), energy yield (Yep), ash content, and the presence of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O). Biochemical activity was measured through the evaluation of soil enzymes serving as indicators for the carbon (dehydrogenases, catalase, β-glucosidase), nitrogen (urease), sulfur (arylsulfatase), and phosphorus (acid and alkaline phosphatase) cycles. The plant greenness index was also determined. It has been demonstrated that diesel oil does not alter the calorific value of Zea mays biomass but significantly reduces the biomass quantity and destabilizes the biochemical properties of the soil. Zea mays contained an average of 6.84% ash, 49.88% C, 5.65% H, 0.17% S, 2.90% N, and 34.57% O. The calorific value of Zea mays ranged from 15.02 to 15.54 MJ kg−1 d.m. of plants, and the heating value ranged from 18.25 to 19.21 MJ kg−1 d.m. of plants. The biomass obtained from contaminated soil is recommended for energy purposes. The sorbents used—vermiculite and dolomite—proved to be less effective in the remediation of soil contaminated with diesel oil.

Super-twisting sliding mode controller for energy storage system of a novel multisource hybrid electric vehicle: Simulation and hardware validation

The rapid depletion of fossil fuels, oil, and natural gas due to their excessive use is a source of motivation for finding alternative solutions. Global warming is also an important issue caused by the emission of harmful gases. Consequently, extensive research has been conducted on Fuel Cell-based Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) to address the twin challenges of resource depletion and harmful emissions. This study presents a novel model comprising of four sources i.e. Fuel Cell (FC), Photo Voltaic panel (PV), battery, and Supercapacitor (SC). The Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) in which hydrogen is used as fuel is the primary source whereas the other three sources act as secondary sources. These sources are interconnected via DC converters to a DC bus. To regulate this Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS), a Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Controller (ST-SMC) has been developed, ensuring global stability through the application of Lyapunov criteria. In addition, the proposed controller is compared with a conventional Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) and Integral Sliding Mode Controller (ISMC). Both simulation (MATLAB/Simulink 2021b) and hardware tests (MicroLabBox dSPACE RTI1202) confirm the system's stability, resilience, and efficient functionality across various dynamic scenarios. Comparative analysis between the three demonstrates the superiority of ST-SMC over the SMC and ISMC, as verified by the results.

Impacts of Refining Partially Upgraded Bitumen: Vacuum Gas Oil Hydrotreating

Impacts of Refining Partially Upgraded Bitumen: Vacuum Gas Oil Hydrotreating

Biodiesel production from microalgae oils: A critical review

The global energy demand is expected to rise due to improved living standards, population growth, and urbanization. It underscores the need to explore alternative energy sources. Biodiesel, derived from renewable feedstock, is considered a promising solution to meet future energy needs while addressing concerns about dwindling fossil fuel reserves and environmental issues. Microalgal oils are identified as third-generation feedstock for biofuels production due to their advantages over conventional edible crops and non-edible oils, which face limitations in availability and yield. Microalgal oils are particularly significant because edible oils serve as food sources, and non-edible oil resources have slow growth rate as well as less oil yields. For biodiesel derived from any feedstock, meeting specific physical and chemical properties to comply with biodiesel standards. Therefore, thoroughly examining the conversion process from microalgal oil to biodiesel is necessary. This study explores various aspects of microalgal oils as biodiesel feedstock, including different microalgal species and their oil content, technologies used for biodiesel production from microalgal oils and biomass, and biodiesel standards and characterization across other countries. Techno-economics and Life Cycle Assessment are applied in this study to evaluate the economic viability and environmental impact of microalgae-based processes, addressing challenges such as data availability, uncertainty, and stakeholder engagement. This review highlights a significant opportunity to produce biodiesel from microalgal feedstock, which could contribute to future biodiesel production and provide a sustainable alternative to conventional diesel fuels.

Short-term study of biological degradation of diesel oil by bacteria isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil

The use of fossil fuels leads to environmental contamination during their extraction, processing and distribution. Microbial biodegradation provides a sustainable method for cleaning contaminated areas which follows the principles of sustainability. This paper presents the dynamics of biodegradation of hydrocarbon fractions of diesel oil, using Planomicrobium sp. and Rhodococcus sp. isolated from petroleum-contaminated sites. GC–MS analysis was employed to analyse abundances of the specific compounds such as n-alkanes, isoprenoids, sesquitepranes, hopanes, steranes and aromatic compounds (naphthalene and its methylated homologues, phenanthrene and anthracene and their methylated homologues, and dibenzothiophene and its methylated homologues). The obtained results showed that after 30 days of biodegradation of diesel, a significant degradation was achieved, with almost complete degradation of n-alkanes and a decrease in the amount of sesquiterapanes. Rhodococcus sp. had a higher efficiency in degradation of n-alkanes, while Planomicrobium sp. had a higher efficiency in the degradation of branched hydrocarbons. Both strains showed high activity in the biodegradation of sesquitepranes and demonstrate ability to degrade methylated phenanthrenes. Additionally, dimethyl-dibenzothiophenes were almost completely degraded and removed from the system. This study presents the first comprehensive report on the GC–MS analysis of the diesel biodegradation pattern of the Planomicrobium sp., compared with the well-established Rhodococcus sp.

Higher-order contagion effects in Russian fuel export markets: Evidence from COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war

This study investigates the transmission of financial contagion from energy markets, specifically focusing on Brent oil and natural gas, to the stock indices of 13 countries highly dependent on Russian fuel exports. The analysis encompasses two major crises: the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict. By employing six distinct second- and higher-order co-moment contagion tests, our findings reveal notable dynamics: 1) Both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict exhibit significant evidence of contagion. 2) During the pandemic, Brent oil plays a more prominent role in transmitting contagion across different stock markets. In contrast, natural gas serves as the primary transmitter for Russian-Ukraine war. 3) Among the three regions analyzed, Asian countries demonstrate resilience against contagion in both crises, while European countries experience a substantial impact from the contagion. 4) Higher-order co-moment channels are more dominant in driving contagion than second-order co-moments. These empirical findings emphasize the importance of considering higher-order co-moments in elucidating the dynamics of financial contagion. They provide valuable insights for policymakers and decision-makers, aiding in the formulation of effective strategies and policies.

Refining Combustion Dynamics: Dissolved Hydrogen in Diesel Fuel within Turbulent-Flow Environments

This article presents the possibility of improving combustion using the effect of releasing hydrogen from a solution with nucleation of gas bubbles. This concept consists in dissolving hydrogen in diesel fuel until the equilibrium state of the solution is reached. At a later stage, the phenomenon is reversed, and this gas is released from the solution during its injection into the combustion chamber with a strong swirl. A characteristic feature of the solution is that when lowering the pressure (opening the atomizers), there is a decrease in the equilibrium thermodynamic potential, which results in the excess, dissolved hydrogen being released spontaneously, and this process is of a volumetric nature. This article is a continuation of the work carried out at Poznan University of Technology on the development of this concept. This article presents the results of tests for the impact of hydrogen dissolved in diesel fuel on the combustion process within a turbulent-flow environment. The tests were conducted in the combustion chamber of an engine equipped with a toroidal combustion chamber and direct injection. During the tests, the following factors were measured: the main indicators of motor operation, emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matters.

Validation of Ecology and Energy Parameters of Diesel Exhausts Using Different Fuel Mixtures, Consisting of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil and Diesel Fuels, Presented at Real Market: Approaches Using Artificial Neural Network for Large-Scale Predictions

Machine learning models have been used to precisely forecast emissions from diesel engines, specifically examining the impact of various fuel types (HVO10, HVO 30, HVO40, HVO50) on the accuracy of emission forecasts. The research has revealed that models with different numbers of perceptrons had greater initial error rates, which subsequently reached a stable state after further training. Additionally, the research has revealed that augmenting the proportion of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) resulted in the enhanced precision of emission predictions. The use of visual data representations, such as histograms and scatter plots, yielded significant insights into the model’s versatility across different fuel types. The discovery of these results is vital for enhancing engine performance and fulfilling environmental regulations. This study highlights the capacity of machine learning in monitoring the environment and controlling engines and proposes further investigation into enhancing models and making real-time predictive adjustments. The novelty of the research is based on the determination of the input interface (a sufficient amount of input parameters, including chemical as well as technical), which characterizes the different regimes of the diesel engine. The novelty of the methodology is based on the selection of a suitable ANN type and architecture, which allows us to predict the required parameters for a wide range of input intervals (different types of mixtures consisting of HVO and pure diesel, different loads, different RPMs, etc.).

Three-stage pyrolysis-catalytic dry reforming of waste polyolefins over MFI and Ni-MFI catalysts for BTEX and syngas production

This work presents an experimental proof-of-concept study for a three-stage pyrolysis-catalytic dry reforming process for recovering valuable chemicals from waste plastics. It is demonstrated that depending upon the catalysts, process parameters and reactor configuration, plastic waste and carbon dioxide can be converted into a diverse array of valuable chemicals which can be used as secondary feedstocks in the chemical or petrochemical industry, thus decreasing dependency on fossil resources and contributing to waste reduction. For this work, waste polypropylene was thermally pyrolyzed and the emerging vapors were passed over HZSM-5 catalyst to obtain BTEX-rich pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gases containing mainly C1 to C4 hydrocarbons. The gaseous products were separated, mixed with CO2 and passed over Ni-silicalite-1 catalyst to obtain syngas, thus upgrading the pyrolysis gases and contributing to CO2 reduction. This study may provide new insights towards the development of processes for the chemical recycling of waste plastics and CO2.

Oilfield Brine as a Source of Water and Valuable Raw Materials—Proof of Concept on a Laboratory Scale

Oilfield brine is the largest byproduct stream generated during the extraction of crude oil and natural gas and may be considered a resource for the production of potable water and valuable raw materials. The high salinity of such waters limits the application of typical membrane-based techniques. In most oilfields, waste cold energy from the process of the low-temperature separation of natural gas is available and may be used as a source of cold for the freezing desalination (FD) of brine. As a result of the FD process, two streams are obtained: partially desalinated water and concentrated brine. The partially desalinated water may be suitable for non-potable applications or as a feed for membrane desalination. The concentrated brine from the FD could be used as a feed for the recovery of selected chemicals. This paper focuses on verifying the above-described concept of the freezing desalination of oilfield brine on a laboratory scale. The brine from a Polish oilfield located in the Carpathian Foredeep was used as a feed. Four freezing–thawing stages were applied to obtain low-salinity water, which subsequently was treated by reverse osmosis. The obtained permeate meets the criteria recommended for irrigation and livestock watering. The concentrated brine enriched with iodine (48 mg/L) and lithium (14 mg/L) was subjected to recovery tests. Ion exchange resin Diaion NSA100 allowed us to recover 58% of iodine. Lithium recovery using Mn- and Ti-based sorbents varies from 52 to 93%.

Managing risk and reaping rewards: Climate‐change futures as a game‐changer for energy futures markets

AbstractClimate‐change futures provide a platform for low‐carbon portfolios and energy market risk hedging. Climate changes induce uncertainty in energy‐commodity markets. We investigate the potential of diversifying and hedging energy‐commodity market risk with climate‐change futures, using dynamic conditional correlation (DCC)‐ordinary least squares (OLS) incorporating quantile‐dummies and cross‐quantilogram (CQ) approaches. DCC‐OLS models reveal that the World and USA climate‐change futures exhibit that they can be diversifiers for oil, ethanol, gasoil, and gasoline. These futures also exhibit hedging features for natural gas, coal, and heating oil. Euro climate‐change futures demonstrate hedging capabilities for all energy commodities except oil and gasoil. World, USA, and Euro climate‐change futures have the potential to serve as safe‐haven financial instruments in the face of the high volatility of Brent crude oil, gasoil, and heating oil. The CQ reveals that World, USA, and Euro climate‐change futures exhibit hedging and safe‐haven capacity against oil, natural gas, coal, gasoil, gasoline, and heating futures. Climate‐change futures may protect financial investments during extreme volatility in energy commodities.

The contagion of extreme risks between fossil and green energy markets: evidence from China

This paper combines the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity-Extreme Value Theory-Value at Risk (GARCH-EVT-VaR) method in conjunction with the Time-Varying Parameter Diebold-Yilmaz (TVP-VAR-DY) model to investigate the contagion of extreme risks between fossil and green energy markets in China. Specifically, the study concentrates on coal, crude oil, and natural gas markets as representative sectors for fossil energy, while green bonds, investments, green power, and associated new energy markets are chosen as representatives for the green energy sector. Our analysis reveals that extreme events can rapidly propagate risks between fossil and green energy markets, particularly during significant shifts in the external environment. Notably, green energy markets exhibit greater susceptibility to severe risks compared to their fossil energy counterparts, indicative of their instability and immaturity. Moreover, the analysis highlights the green bond market's heightened sensitivity to extreme risks, with green investments playing a pivotal role in propagating such risks throughout the system. These insights underscore the intricate dynamics of risk contagion between fossil and green energy markets, emphasizing the need for comprehensive risk management strategies in both sectors.

Geomechanical Response Characteristics of Different Sedimentary Hydrodynamic Cycles—Exampled by Xujiahe Formation of Upper Triassic, Western Sichuan Basin

This study delves into the geomechanical responses of different sedimentary hydrodynamic cycles in deep tight sandstone formations. Employing core observation and thin section analysis, we quantitatively identified and characterized bedding planes, sedimentary microfacies, and tectonic fractures. Then, the intricate relationships between various architectural interfaces and geomechanical parameters were elucidated. Subsequently, utilizing finite element numerical simulation software, in situ stress and fracture parameters were derived. By identifying a fracture facies zone correlated with the sedimentary hydrodynamic cycle and production data, our findings unveil several key insights: (1) Geomechanical parameters (Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, brittleness index) exhibited noteworthy variations within the T3x2−5 sand group, indicative of weak elasticity and robust plasticity. (2) The effective distance, influenced by diverse reservoir architecture interfaces, displayed variability, with each transition between peak-valley-peak or valley-peak-valley pinpointed as a distinct sedimentary hydrodynamic cycle. (3) In environments characterized by strong sedimentary hydrodynamics (between two level 3 architecture interfaces), fractures with larger strike angles and lower dip angles were observed to be more prevalent. (4) Three significant fracture faces—level I, level II, and level III—were discerned within the study area. Notably, reservoirs associated with level III exhibited characteristics suggestive of medium porosity and permeability, indicative of a gas layer. By thoroughly understanding the geomechanical response characteristics of formations such as the Xujiahe Formation, it is possible to guide the exploration and development of energy resources such as oil and natural gas. This helps to improve the efficiency and safety of resource extraction, promoting the sustainable utilization of energy.

Oil-recovery performance of a superhydrophobic sponge-covered disc skimmer

Frequent oil spill accidents caused by transportation, storage and usage may lead to severe damage on aquatic and ecological environments. Effective methods for rapid oil recovery are urgently in demand. Polyvinyl chloride, hydrophobic nano-SiO2, expanded graphite were separately applied to polyurethane and melamine sponge to fabricate superhydrophobic sponge material. The selected superhydrophobic sponge was introduced to establish sponge - covered disc skimmer. Oil recovery tests of the device were conducted to determine the optimum parameters. The examined operating conditions encompassed sponge thickness, immersion depth, rotational speed, oil slick thickness, operation time. The results showed that the melamine sponge modified by both polyvinyl chloride and hydrophobic nano-SiO2 exhibits super-hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 150.3°. The absorption capacity for diesel oil can reach 53.89 g/g. The absorption capacity can still achieve 90 % of its initial capacity even after 500 extrusion-absorption separation tests. The results indicate the superiority of the superhydrophobic sponge covered surface in oil recovery over the standard steel surface regardless of the operating conditions. The recovery rate of the device can still achieve 96.4 % of its initial capacity with 95 % efficiency even after 85 h operation. The results suggest the superhydrophobic sponge - covered disc skimmer may have great application perspectives in oil spill recovery.