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Sustainability
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Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability
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Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 19664

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luca Marchitto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Science and Technology for Sustainable Energy and Mobility (STEMS-CNR), Italian National Research Council, 4-80125 Napoli, Italy
Interests: internal combustion engines; emissions; combustion; optical diagnostics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Cinzia Tornatore

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Science and Technology for Sustainable Energy and Mobility, CNR (Italian National Research Council), Napoli, Italy
Interests: alternative fuels; internal combustion engines; optical diagnostics; marine engines
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At the present time, decarbonization in the transportation and energy sectors is the hardest challenge for science and industry of this sector. Despite mid-century strategies based on electrification of transports and renewable energy production, more than 80% of the world’s energy still comes from fossil fuels. A more sustainable pathway for a clever fuel usage represents a short-term solution to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The target of this Special Issue is to collect recent research in advanced solutions to reduce the transportation environmental impact by means of efficient combustion systems and alternative fuels. Green fuels from renewable sources or coming from a sustainable management of waste of industrial processes to the end of a circular economy are hot topics.

We invite researchers to submit both original research and review articles that explore this theme. Innovative experimental and numerical works are welcome. Topics of interest for this Special Issue include (but are not limited to):

  • Biofuels;
  • E-fuels;
  • Alternative fuels;
  • Free carbon fuels;
  • Hydrogen fuels
  • Fuel economy;
  • Fuel cells;
  • Bioenergy;
  • Waste oil;
  • Alternative combustion processes;
  • Advanced ignition and combustion systems;
  • Advanced fuel injection systems;
  • Waste heat recovery;
  • Emission regulations;
  • Combustion systems emissions.

Dr. Luca Marchitto
Dr. Cinzia Tornatore
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biofuels
  • fuel economy
  • sustainable fuel
  • bioenergy
  • clean combustion
  • biomass waste fuel

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3155 KiB  
Article
Energy and Environmental Assessment of a Hybrid Dish-Stirling Concentrating Solar Power Plant
by Stefania Guarino, Alessandro Buscemi, Antonio Messineo and Valerio Lo Brano
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6098; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14106098 - 17 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3106
Abstract
Although the 2019 global pandemic slowed the growing trend of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, it has since resumed its rise, prompting world leaders to accelerate the generation of electricity from renewable sources. The study presented in this paper is focused on [...] Read more.
Although the 2019 global pandemic slowed the growing trend of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, it has since resumed its rise, prompting world leaders to accelerate the generation of electricity from renewable sources. The study presented in this paper is focused on the evaluation of the energy and environmental benefits corresponding to the hypothesis of hybridizing a dish-Stirling plant installed on the university campus of Palermo (Italy). These analyses were carried out by means of dynamic simulations based on an accurate energy model validated with the experimental data collected during the measurement campaign that occurred during the period of operation of the reference plant. Assuming different scenarios for managing the production period and different fuels, including renewable fuels, it was found that the annual electricity production of the dish-Stirling system operating in solar mode can be increased by between 47% and 78% when hybridized. This would correspond to an increase in generation efficiency ranging from 4% to 16%. Finally, assuming that the dish-Stirling system is hybridized with renewable combustible gases, this would result in avoided CO2 emissions of between approximately 1594 and 3953 tons over the 25-year lifetime of the examined plant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability)
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14 pages, 3592 KiB  
Article
Metal Rod Surfaces after Exposure to Used Cooking Oils
by Nina Bruun, Juho Lehmusto, Jarl Hemming, Fiseha Tesfaye and Leena Hupa
Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010355 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3007
Abstract
Used cooking oils (UCOs) have a high potential as renewable fuels for the maritime shipping industry. However, their corrosiveness during storage and usage are some of the concerns yet to be investigated for addressing compatibility issues. Thus, the corrosion of steels and copper [...] Read more.
Used cooking oils (UCOs) have a high potential as renewable fuels for the maritime shipping industry. However, their corrosiveness during storage and usage are some of the concerns yet to be investigated for addressing compatibility issues. Thus, the corrosion of steels and copper exposed to the UCOs was studied through the immersion of metal rods for different periods. The changes on the rod surfaces were analyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). After the immersion, the copper concentration dissolved in the bio-oils was measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The free fatty acids and glycerides were analyzed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The acid number (AN), water concentration, as well as density and kinematic viscosity of the bio-oils were determined with standard methods. The UCOs with the highest water content were corrosive, while the oils with lower water concentrations but higher ANs induced lower corrosion. After mixing two different UCOs, the metal corrosion decreased with an increasing concentration of the oil with lower corrosive properties. The lower corrosion properties were most likely due to the monounsaturated fatty acids, e.g., oleic acid in oils. These acids formed a barrier layer on the rod surfaces, thereby inhibiting the permeation of oxygen and water to the surface. Even adding 0.025 wt% of tert-butylamine decreased the corrosivity of UCO against polished steel rod. The results suggested that mixing several oil batches and adding a suitable inhibitor reduces the potential corrosive properties of UCOs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability)
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20 pages, 17443 KiB  
Article
CFD-Guided Evaluation of Spark-Assisted Gasoline Compression Ignition for Cold Idle Operation
by Le Zhao, Yu Zhang, Yuanjiang Pei, Anqi Zhang and Muhsin M Ameen
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13096; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313096 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2102
Abstract
A closed-cycle, three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis campaign was conducted to evaluate the performance of using spark plugs to assist gasoline compression ignition (GCI) combustion during cold idle operations. A conventional spark plug using single-sided J-strap design was put at a [...] Read more.
A closed-cycle, three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis campaign was conducted to evaluate the performance of using spark plugs to assist gasoline compression ignition (GCI) combustion during cold idle operations. A conventional spark plug using single-sided J-strap design was put at a location on the cylinder head to facilitate spray-guided spark assistance. Ignition was modeled with an L-type energy distribution to depict the breakdown and the arc-to-glow phases during the energy discharge process. Several key design parameters were investigated, including injector clocking, number of nozzle holes, spray inclusion angle, number of fuel injections, fuel split ratio, and fuel injection timings. The study emphasized the region around the spark gap, focusing on flame kernel formation and development and local equivalence ratio distribution. Flame kernel development and the ignition process were found to correlate strongly with the fuel stratification and the flow velocity near the spark gap. The analysis results showed that the flame kernel development followed the direction of the local flow field. In addition, the local fuel stratification notably influenced early-stage flame kernel development due to varying injection spray patterns and the fuel injection strategies. Among these design parameters, the number of nozzle holes and fuel injection timing had the most significant effects on the engine combustion performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability)
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14 pages, 4381 KiB  
Article
Forensic Studies on Spent Catalytic Converters to Examine the Effect of Diesel and B100 Pongamia Biodiesel on Emissions
by N. Manjunath, C. R. Rajashekhar, J. Venkatesh, T. M. Yunus Khan, Vineet Tirth and Irfan Anjum Badruddin
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10729; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910729 - 27 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1812
Abstract
The ever-increasing demand for transport is sustained by fossil fuel-based internal combustion (IC) engines fitted with catalytic converters (CCs) while alternative options and fuels are still emerging. Biodiesel seems to be a potential alternate to diesel, but the formation of NOx and [...] Read more.
The ever-increasing demand for transport is sustained by fossil fuel-based internal combustion (IC) engines fitted with catalytic converters (CCs) while alternative options and fuels are still emerging. Biodiesel seems to be a potential alternate to diesel, but the formation of NOx and smoke are major issues. This study aimed to explore the effect of B100 Pongamia biodiesel on the performance of CCs and to assist the designers of compression ignition engines. This study included a comparison of deposits on the catalytic converter (CC) in the cases of diesel fuel and biodiesel. Forensic examination of the spent CCs after 250 h was performed by characterization using SEM/EDS. The amount and composition of the deposits were compared for the diesel and biodiesel, and the effectiveness of the CC. The study revealed that the efficiency of the CC increased in biodiesel. The amount of soot and deposits was greater at the engine side of the spent CC with diesel, including the atomic percentage (At. %) of C, while the minimum deposits and C At. % in the spent CC were at the exhaust side with biodiesel. Oxygen content in the deposits was greater in biodiesel. The efficiency and effectiveness of the CC increased with the biodiesel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability)
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19 pages, 3521 KiB  
Article
Performance of Anisole and Isobutanol as Gasoline Bio-Blendstocks for Spark Ignition Engines
by Michał Wojcieszyk, Lotta Knuutila, Yuri Kroyan, Mário de Pinto Balsemão, Rupali Tripathi, Juha Keskivali, Anna Karvo, Annukka Santasalo-Aarnio, Otto Blomstedt and Martti Larmi
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8729; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168729 - 5 Aug 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5354
Abstract
Several countries have set ambitious targets for the transport sector that mandate a gradual increase in advanced biofuel content in the coming years. The current work addresses this transition and indicates two promising gasoline bio-blendstocks: Anisole and isobutanol. The whole value chains of [...] Read more.
Several countries have set ambitious targets for the transport sector that mandate a gradual increase in advanced biofuel content in the coming years. The current work addresses this transition and indicates two promising gasoline bio-blendstocks: Anisole and isobutanol. The whole value chains of these bio-components were considered, focusing on end-use performance, but also analyzing feedstock and its conversion, well-to wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs. Three alternative fuels, namely a ternary blend (15% anisole, 15% isobutanol, 70% fossil gasoline on an energy basis) and two binary blends (15% anisole with fossil gasoline and 30% isobutanol with fossil gasoline), were tested, focusing on their drop-in applicability in spark ignition (SI) engines. The formulated liquid fuels performed well and showed the potential to increase brake thermal efficiency (BTE) by 1.4% on average. Measured unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were increased on average by 12–29% and 17–51%, respectively. However, HC and CO concentrations and exhaust temperatures were at acceptable levels for proper catalyst operation. The studied blends were estimated to bring 11–22% of WTW GHG emission reductions compared to base gasoline. Additionally, the fleet performance and benefits of flexi-fuel vehicles (FFV) were modeled for ternary blends. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability)
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Review

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12 pages, 1132 KiB  
Review
Fostering Sustainable LNG Bunkering Operations: Development of Regulatory Framework
by Bernard Vuskovic, Igor Rudan and Matthew Sumner
Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7358; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097358 - 28 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2908
Abstract
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a liquid form of natural gas, predominantly composed of methane, that has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional hydrocarbon fuels in the maritime transportation sector due to its lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As the world shifts [...] Read more.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a liquid form of natural gas, predominantly composed of methane, that has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional hydrocarbon fuels in the maritime transportation sector due to its lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As the world shifts towards renewable energy sources, LNG is increasingly recognized as a bridge fuel that can help mitigate global warming. However, the production and use of LNG can result in methane emissions, which have a higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide. To address this issue, competent authorities aim to develop regulatory frameworks to reduce the potential environmental impact of LNG and promote its use as a cleaner fuel in the maritime sector. We used a systematic approach to selecting and synthesizing the sources relevant to the LNG bunkering process to provide an overview of the current state of regulations, standards, guidance, and trends in LNG bunkering to minimize the potential adverse environmental impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clever Fuel Usage: Consumption, Emissions and Sustainability)
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