Motivation:
With the implementation of extremely stringent environmental regulations and dwindling petroleum supplies worldwide, there is tremendous interest in the use of Alternative fuels such as Fischer-Tropsch (synthetic) and Biofuel, which are non-petroleum based. The use of these fuels on current engines requires a complete understanding of the impact of fuel composition parameters such as density, cetane number, sulphur and aromatic content on combustion performance, fuel economy and emissions when used in combination with current engine emission reduction technologies such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable geometry turbocharging (VGT).
Biodiesel and Fischer-Tropsch diesel fuel are attractive due their low sulphur content which favors lower particulate emissions and increases the life of catalysts. The Army (TARDEC) is particularly interested in using Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel, since it contains no sulfur and low aromatics and hence has the potential of being a "reformable" fuel to be used in fuel cells. It also has the benefit of having both lower NOx and PM emissions and can come from natural resources within the US, reducing the US dependence on foreign oil.
Goals of the work:
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Effect of Biodiesel, Fischer-Tropsch and Ultra low sulphur diesel on engine performance and emissions, particularly NOx and PM. Impact of EGR, VGT and fuel injection timing on exhaust emissions and guidelines for strategies tailored for alternative fuels.