Alternate Fuels and Emissions in Internal Combustion Engines

By

Dr. Dilip Sharma Mechanical Engineering Department M.N.I.T., Jaipur

Daily Per-capita Energy Consumption (in 1000 kcal)

Food Stage in Development Primitive man (106 years ago) Hunting man (105 years ago) Primitive Agriculture (5000 BC) Ado Agriculture (1400 AD) 2 3 4 6 Residential and Commercial 2 4 12 Industrial and Agriculture 4 7 Transport Total

2 5 12 26

Industrial man (Late 19th Century)

Technological man (present)

7
10

32
66

24
91

14
63

77
230

Energy demand and crisis

Energy demand of early man. Development of Internal combustion engine (1897).

Application in agriculture sector, power sector and transportation sector.

Scarcity of Petroleum (1970s). Air pollution (1990s). Need to search out alternate clean burning fuels.

Diesel fueled engines consistently outstripped their gasoline fueled counterparts (late 1990s).

By year 2008, average oil production will be highest in the world. After that production will fall 2-3% each year. Fuels may wind up by the year 2050. 95% of transportation needs are met by fossil oil.

Largest oil consuming countries

Largest oil producing countries

Country
USA China Japan Germany Russia India Canada Brazil South Korea France Mexico

Consumption
(Million barrels/day)

Country
Saudi Arabia Russia USA Iran Mexico China Norway Canada Venezuela UAE Kuwait Nigeria Britain Iraq

Production
(Million barrels/day)

20.7 6.5 5.4 2.6 2.6 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.0 2.0

10.37 9.27 8.69 4.09 3.83 3.62 3.18 3.14 2.86 2.76 2.51 2.51 2.08 2.03

Year wise oil production (thousand barrels per day)

Oil reserves in the world

Year OPEC Others 1970 23000 25000 1980 28000 36000 1990 23000 41000 2000 31000 43000 2004 32000 44000

Country U.S.A. Latin America Europe Asia-Pacific Africa Former USSR Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran UAE Kuwait Libya

% Reserve 6 9 2 4 7 6 25 11 8 9 9 2

Year wise oil imports by India

Import (MMT) Price (Rs. Billion)

1025

835.28 761.95 659.32

603.97

400.28

183.37 33.90 1996-1997

158.72 34.49 1997-1998

199.0 7 39.81 1998-1999 57.80 74.10 78.71

81.99

90.43

95.86

1999-2000

2000-2001

2001-2002

2002-2003

2003-2004

2004-2005

Energy consumption by different countries of the world

Country USA China Russian Federation
Primary Energy Consumption (Million tonnes oil equivalent)

Population (millions) 292.6 1,300.0 144.6

Per Capita Energy Consump. (Kg of energy) 7856 926 4543

2298.7 1204.2 656.9

Japan
India Germany

504.9
350.4 332.1

127.7
1,070.8 82.6

3954
327 4021

Canada
France United Kingdom South Korea Italy Brazil

302.3
259.6 225.4 211.8 181.0 180.0

31.6
60 59.3 47.5 58 181.4

9566
4327 3801 4459 3121 992

Sources of Energy in India

Liquid Hydrocarbons (70% Import) Natural Gas (approx. 70% Import) Biomass (Plentiful) Coal Hydel Nuclear Solar Wind

Alternate Fuels
Fuel
Alcohol

Advantages
Most of the engine related problems have been sorted out Clean burning

Problems
Technology of production needs further improvement Used for other purposes also Highly combustible Low energy content fuel Production, storage and handling is expensive, complex and still needs further development Heavier then air, thus settles down when exposed, forming an explosive mixture Risky to handle Costly operating systems involving high pressure storage (app. 200 bar) Being lighter can collect in overhead areas, creating an explosion hazard. Sudden releases due to collision damage or equipment failure can be dangerous

Hydrogen

LPG

Reduced emissions, noise and lubricating oil deterioration Improved engine life Clean burning Improved combustion characteristics

CNG

Producer gas
Biogas

Great potential in the agriculture sector

Lean burn engine Reduced HC and CO emissions. Easy starting, reliable idling and stumble free acceleration. Lighter than air and low density makes it an inherently safe fuel

Increased CO and smoke emissions.

Storage problem Large size of plants Can be used for stationary engines

Biodiesel

Domestically produced, safe and renewable fuel Reduced air pollutants such as particulates, CO, HC and air toxics. No engine modification required. Similarity in performance

In some cases long term operational problems persist. Stability, solvency and material compatibility problems are there

BIODIESEL SUITABILITY AS ALTERNATE FUEL

Vegetable oils and their derivatives (especially methyl esters) commonly referred as Biodiesel, are prominent candidates as alternate Diesel fuel. Advancement from experimental fuels to initial stages of commercialization. By-product of the process of distilling out glycerin from vegetable oils. Technique of production (Transesterification). Biodiesels are composed of Ethyl esters (grain based) or Methyl esters (wood based). Neat vegetable oils as fuel. Blending of Biodiesels with Petroleum Diesel.

Selection of oil for use as biodiesel

Availability of oil United States - Soybean oil, European countries - Rapeseed oil,

Tropical Countries - Coconut or Palm oil

Non-preference to edible oils

Non-edible oilseed bearing trees in India

80 different types of oilseed bearing potential trees

Estimated potential and oil percentage of oil in oilseeds of tree origin

Species Neem Karanj Kusum Pilu Ratanjot Jaoba Bhikal Wild Walnut

Annual Production (Thousand tones) 500 200 80 50 ---------

Oil Percentage 30 27-39 34 33 30-40 50 37 60-70

Undi
Thumba Castor Jatopha Mohua Sal Linseed Pongomia

04
100 250 200 200 200 150 60

50-73
21 45-50 50-60 35-40 10-12 35-45 30-40

Significant Problems with Biodiesels

Stability Solvency

Material Compatibility

Significant Advantages Over Petroleum

Emission Reduction Biodiesel Helps Reduced Greenhouse Gases Positive Energy Balance for Solar Energy in

Biodiesel Similarity in Performance Compatibility of Biodiesels with Engine Components

Tranesterification
The process of converting Triacylglycerols in oils, to mono alkyl esters is known as tranesterfication. This is mainly done to reduce the viscosity of the oil while keeping the heating value same. Transesterification of these oils can be done either by methanol or ethanol. Methyl esters are produced using potassium hydroxide as catalyst in batch type reactor. MeOH = 0.225*Oil and KOH = Oil/100 Where, Oil = desired amount of oil in liters, MeOH = amount of methanol in liters. and KOH = amount of potassium hydroxide required in kg. Ethyl esters are produced using potassium hydroxide as catalyst in batch type reactor. EtOH = 0.2738*Oil and KOH = Oil/85 Where, Oil = desired amount of oil in liters, EtOH = amount of methanol in liters and KOH = amount of potassium hydroxide required in kg.

Methyl Ester

Glycerin

Separation of karanj methyl ester and free fatty acids (Glycerin)

Diesel

Karanj oil

Karanj methyl ester

Visual comparison of diesel, karanj oil and karanj methyl ester

Waste vegetable oil as source of Biodiesel

(i) 40000 liters of biodiesel from Waste Vegetable oil can be produced per year from Jaipur. (ii) Taking 200 cities with same production capacity in India. (iii) Saving of 8 million lit. of Conventional Diesel and of 120 million Rs in India per year.

Estimated cost of Biodiesel produced from waste vegetable oil

Rate (Rs/Liter) Cost of Waste vegetable oil 15 Quantity (Lit.) Cost (Rs) 1.5 22.50

Transesterification Cost Cost of Glycerol produced

Cost of biodiesel/Liter

8.50 36

1.5 0.4

12.75 14.40
20.65 21.00

Emissions from Internal combustion Engines

Evaporative losses from fuel tank and carburetor (15-25% of HC) Crankcase blow by (2035% of HC) Exhaust (50-60% of HC, almost all of CO, NOx, smoke, SPM, SO2 and Lead)

Action Taken

Evaporative losses: Use of Evaporative losses control device (ELCD). It aims at capturing the vapors and recirculating them at the appropriate time. Blow by Losses: Use of Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) Exhaust Emissions: Engine Design Modification Use of Leaner A/F mixture Adoption of MPFi system Retarding ignition timing Modification in combustion chamber to reduce quenching areas Lowering the compression ratio Reduced Valve overlap Exhaust Gas Treatment Use of after burners Use of manifold reactors Use of Catalytic converters Fuel Modification

Exhaust Pollutants Causes, Effects and Action taken

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Causes: Carbon Monoxide (CO) occurs only in engine exhaust. It is a result of incomplete combustion. Instead of forming carbon dioxide by oxidation results in carbon monoxide. Effects: Fatal in large doses Aggravates heart disorders Affects central nervous system Impairs oxygen carrying capacity of blood Treatment: Use of after burners Use of manifold reactors Use of Catalytic converters

Unburned Hydrocarbons (HC)

Causes: Unburned hydrocarbon emissions are the direct result of incomplete combustion . Effects: Drowsiness, eye irritation and coughing Known carcinogen, also cause other life threatening diseases Reacts with oxides of nitrogen and produces the highly toxic ozone Treatment: Use of after burners Use of manifold reactors Use of Catalytic converters

Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)

Causes: NOx formation in an engine is primarily a function of reaction temperature, available oxygen and duration of availability. Effects: Irritation of respiratory tract Increase in acute respiratory infections and bronchitis Morbidity in children Treatment: Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) Water injection in the combustion chamber Use of Catalytic converters

Smoke
Causes: Smoke is produced during acceleration, overloading or even during full load operation of the engine. Because of high temperature there is thermal cracking of molecules rather than normal oxidation. This thermal cracking is in the form of soot/carbon. This soot is a graphite structure, jet black in colour and is called smoke. Effects: Irritation of respiratory tract Increase in acute respiratory infections and bronchitis Causes stunted babies Treatment: Running at low loads (Derating) Proper maintenance of injector and Combustion chamber geometry Use of smoke suppression additives (Some barium compounds reduce reaction temperature thus reduce thermal cracking) Use of Catalytic converters Fumigation

Sulphur dioxides (SO2)

Causes: Sulphur content in the fuel. Effects: High doses can cause laryngo-tracheal and pulmonary oedema Causes Cardiovascular deaths Causes suffocation, irritation of throat and eyes Combined with smoke, aggravates respiratory problems like bronchitis and asthma Combines with atmospheric water vapor to produce acid rain Leads to acidification of lakes and soils. Corrodes buildings Treatment: Use of low sulphur fuel

Lead (Pb)
Causes: Present in the fuel. Effects: Adversely affects blood and human nervous system and causes hypertension Causes anemia, brain dysfunction and kidney damage A major health threat to children under six, it severely Retards mental growth and some times even death Treatment: Use of Lead free fuel

Indian and EURO Norms for Petrol Driven Passenger Cars

1991-92 INDIA EURO I 2.72 1996 INDIA 1998 INDIA 1996 EURO II 2.2 2000 INDIA EURO III 2.03 2005 EURO IV 1.0

CO g/km

14.3 27.1

8.68 12.4

4.34 6.20

2.72

HC g/km
NOx g/km HC + NOx g/km

2.0 -2.9
---

--0.97

--3.4 4.36

--1.5 2.18

--0.57

--0.97

0.20
0.15 --

0.1
0.08 --

Thank you