Emissions and in-cylinder combustion characteristics of Fischer-Tropsch and conventional diesel fuels in a modern CI engine

Increasingly stringent emissions regulations, rising oil prices, and an increased focus on environmental awareness are driving the search for clean, alternative fuels. Derived from natural gas, coal, and even biomass Fischer-Tropsch (FT) fuels are one such alternative. The inherently clean nature of FT diesel coupled with the fact that FT diesel exhibits similar physical properties to those of conventional diesel make FT diesel an ideal candidate as both a blending agent with and eventual replacement for conventional petroleum-based diesel fuels. The potential for emissions reduction with FT diesel fuels in laboratory engine tests and on-road vehicle tests is well documented. While a number of chemical and physical characteristics of FT fuels have been attributed to the observed reduction in emissions, the actual effects of both the fuel properties and in-cylinder combustion characteristics in modern diesel engines are still not well understood. In this study a 2002, six-cylinder, 5.9 liter, Cummins ISB 300 diesel engine, outfitted with an in-cylinder pressure transducer, was subjected to a subset of the Euro III 13-mode test cycle under steady-state operating conditions.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Sappok, Alexander G. (Alexander Georg)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Victor W. Wong.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35637

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/35637