Effects of Renewable Fuels on the Performance and Emissions of a Small Displacement Diesel Engine for Urban Mobility

In the frame of growing concerns over climate change and health, renewable fuels can make an important contribution to decarbonizing the transport sector.

The current work presents the results of an investigation into the impact of renewable fuels on the combustion and emissions of a turbocharged compression-ignition internal combustion engine. An experimental study was undertaken and the engine settings were not modified to account for the fuel's chemical and physical properties, to analyze the performance of the fuel as a potential drop-in alternative fuel. Three fuels were tested: mineral diesel, a blend of it with waste cooking oil biodiesel and a hydrogenated diesel. The analysis of the emissions at engine exhaust highlights that hydrogenated fuel is cleaner, reducing CO, total hydrocarbon emissions, particulate matter and NO_x.