Future Combustion Technology for Synthetic and Renewable Fuels in Compression Ignition Engines (REFUEL) - Final report

• Main Authors: Aakko-Saksa, Päivi, Brink, Anders, Happonen, Matti, Heikkilä, Juha, Hulkkonen, Tuomo, Imperato, Matteo, Kaario, Ossi, Koponen, Päivi, Larmi, Martti, Lehto, Kalle, Murtonen, Timo, Sarjovaara, Teemu, Tilli, Aki, Väisänen, Esa
• Other Authors: Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu, School of Engineering, Energiatekniikan laitos, Department of Energy Technology, Internal Combustion Engine Research Group, Aalto-yliopisto, Aalto University
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Aalto University 2012
• Subjects: Energy; diesel engines; emissions; efficiency; alternative fuel; paraffinic fuel; HVO; synthetic fuel; Cetane number; EGR; Miller cycle; oxygenate; Arctic
• Online Access: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/7748

This domestic project, Future Combustion Technology for Synthetic and Renewable Fuels in Compression Ignition Engines (ReFuel), was part of a Collaborative Task "Future Combustion Technology for Synthetic and Renewable Fuels in Transport" of International Energy Agency (IEA) Combustion Agreement. This international Collaborative Task is coordinated by Finland. The three-year (2009-2011) project was a joint research project with Aalto University (Aalto), Tampere University of Technology (TUT), Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU). The project was funded by TEKES, Wärtsilä Oyj, Neste Oil Oyj, Agco Sisu Power, Aker Arctic Technology Oy and the research partners listed above. Modern renewable diesel fuels have excellent physical and chemical properties, in comparison to traditional crude oil based fuels. Purely paraffinic fuels do not contain aromatic compounds and they are totally sulphur free. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) was studied as an example of paraffinic high cetane number (CN) diesel fuels. HVO has no storage and low temperature problems like the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) have. The combustion properties are better than those of crude oil based fuels and FAME, because they have very high cetane numbers and contain no polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). With low HVO density, viscosity and distillation temperatures, these advantageous properties allow far more advanced combustion strategies, such as very high exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates or extreme Miller timings, than has been possible with current fossil fuels. The implementation of these advanced combustion technologies, together with the novel renewable diesel fuel, brought significant nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) emission reductions with no efficiency losses. The objective of ReFuel project was to develop new extremely low emission combustion technologies for new renewable fuels in compression ignition engines. The target was to decrease emissions at least by 70%. The scope was to ...