CLEANENGINE - Advanced Technologies for Highly Efficient Clean Engines Working with Alternative Fuels and Lubes
Overview
Background & policy context:
The main incentives towards biofuel technology were provided by the need to reduce the western world's dependence on fossil fuels, the demand of the agricultural sector to be opened towards new products and markets, and the environmental need to face the increasing greenhouse effect. For these reasons biofuels represent an attractive alternative to conventional oil-derived energy sources as they can fuel the well-proven internal combustion (IC) engines. Their extensive introduction on the market will be principally driven by the results of further studies on their technical performances, and by their cost competitiveness, sustainability and related legislation, regulation and standards.
This project mainly addresses two of these issues:
- the planned research activities evaluate and optimise the effect of the combined usage of biofuels and biolubes in current IC engine performances in terms of efficiency and emissions;
- the environmental impact of renewable fuel and lube production and usage phases with the so-called 'well-to-wheel' analysis.
Objectives:
According to car manufacturer EUCAR consortium beyond the year 2010, the share of engines would depend mainly on:
- legislation,
- availability of mature new technologies,
- infrastructure of alternative fuels,
- availability of modified / synthetic fuels and lubricants,
- costs and customer acceptance.
CLEANENGINE addressed two of these main aspects. Research activities were focused on evaluation of impacts on modern engines of:
- liquid biofuels derived from biomass (like biodiesel and bioethanol),
- environmentally friendly and ash-free lubes and/or lubrication concepts.
Effects of biofuels and biolubes usage on small (ship), medium (car) and large (ship) diesel and/or gasoline engine configurations are evaluated and compatible optimised solutions in materials, geometry and after-treatment are developed considering lifecycle assessment methodologies.
Main expected effects are:
- increase in engine efficiency (by reducing internal friction and improving combustion);
- reduce emissions at the source,
- reductions in NOx, CO and PM when using mixtures of oxygenated biofuels as bioethanol,
- improve the technological and industrial practice related to the use of alternative fuels in combination with environmentally friendly lubricants,
- increase the utilisation share of biofuels, and
- reduction of the wear originated by the accumulation of biofuels in engine oils.
The advantage that can be gained in this project will:
- help in consolidating strategic knowledge for the European large industrial partners (Fuchs, Fiat, Arizona Chemicals, Guascor, Ecocat) and the SME's (Firad, Abamotor),and
- guide politics for environmental legislations.
Methodology:
The CLEANENGINE project was organised into seven technical work packages (WPs): first two were 'input' work packages in which fuel, lubricant and additives developers focused their activities on designing and producing the engine alternative fluids according to end-users requirements. WP3 and WP4 were devoted at the evaluation of the compatibility of engine materials and sub-systems with the alternative fluids. In WP5, development and/or optimisation of post-treatment systems to reach emissions targets was performed for the three engine applications. In WP6, the developed alternative fluids performances were finally assessed in engines. In WP7, a LCA study was carried out to study the environmental impacts in the production and usage phases of the alternative fluids.
The activities by WPs were:
- WP1 research activities were focused on the development of bio-fuels blends according to engine manufactures specifications.
- The aim of WP2 was the development of 'compatible' lubricants with the abovementioned bio-fuels combining non-toxicity, bio-degradability characteristics and renewable resources with increased efficiency, reduced emissions and wear control.
- In WP3 tribological performances of alternatives lubes developed in WP2 and the effect of bio-fuels dilution on friction and wear of mating engine components were evaluated; alternative coatings were tested to counteract the negative effect of bio-fuel dilution. Also the corrosion effect of biofuels and alternative lubes on some engine components materials was evaluated.
- In WP4, the impact of usage of bio fuels in comparison with standard fuels on injection and combustion phases was evaluated by a numerical and experimental point of view.
- WP5 activities were devoted to develop/optimise opportune after-treatment systems for engines working with bio-fuels;
- An assessment of the developed technologies (fuels, lubricants, modified injection and combustion parameters and post-treatment systems) was carried out by engine / vehicle tests in WP6.
- The LCA study performed in WP7 had the aim to evaluate by an environmental point of view the so called 'CLEANENGINE system' combining the application of biofuels and alternative lubes.
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