Regan Brown
Diesel fuel alternatives are an increasingly important topic as the world looks to reduce its carbon footprint and combat climate change. Several alternative fuels can be used in diesel engines, including biodiesel, renewable diesel, low sulphur diesel, ultra-low sulphur diesel, and blends of biodiesel with petroleum diesel. Biodiesel, produced from vegetable oils and animal fats, offers a cleaner and more sustainable option, while renewable diesel, derived from biomass, enables a reduction in carbon emissions. Low and ultra-low sulphur diesel options are also available, reducing particulate matter and emissions. Older diesel engines can even run on filtered vegetable oil, though modern engines require specific low-sulphur options. Hydrogen, with its wide flammability limits, is another alternative, offering improved fuel economy and combustion, though its high auto-ignition temperature poses challenges for diesel engines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | Can be used in older IDI and other pre-electronic diesel engines |
| Bio-diesel | Produced from new and used vegetable oils and animal fats; safe, biodegradable, and reduces particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons |
| Black diesel | Recycled motor oil that must be refined and mixed with diesel |
| Low sulphur diesel | Sulphur content of 300-500ppm, reduces particulate matter by 10-20% |
| Ultra-low sulphur diesel | Refined, cleaner fuel with sulphur content of 15ppm or less, can be used in any diesel engine, reduces fine PM emissions by 5-9% |
| Emulsified diesel | Blended mixture of diesel, water, and additives that reduce PM and NOx emissions |
| Hydrogen | Carbon-free, good heat transfer characteristics, improves engine efficiency, suitable for spark ignition engines |
| Biomass-based producer gas | Derived from dry materials such as wood, charcoal, rice husks, and coconut shells |
| Renewable electricity | Used to produce e-fuels or eFuels |
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Vegetable oil
Most diesel car engines can accommodate SVO/PPO with certain modifications. The viscosity and surface tension of the vegetable oil must be reduced by preheating it, typically using waste heat from the engine or electricity. This can be achieved by adding a heat exchanger and an additional fuel tank for a petrodiesel or biodiesel blend, and switching between tanks during operation. In colder climates, heating the fuel lines and tank is necessary to prevent the vegetable oil from becoming too viscous or solidifying.
Using vegetable oil as fuel offers some advantages, such as reduced emissions and a cleaning effect on the engine, resulting in smoother operation and reduced noise. However, it requires careful maintenance to prevent issues like clogging and incomplete combustion.
It is worth noting that the process of converting vegetable oil into biodiesel involves toxic and hazardous chemical transformations. Additionally, the availability of waste vegetable oil may be limited, and using non-waste vegetable oil can be energy-negative, as it takes more than a gallon of diesel to produce a gallon of vegetable oil.
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Biodiesel
However, there are some considerations when using biodiesel. Modern diesel engines can generally operate on biodiesel with minimal or no required modifications, but older diesel trucks may need to update seals, gaskets, and fuel lines with more compatible materials as biodiesel can degrade rubber. Additionally, while federal policies and incentives have helped keep market prices competitive, a lack of biodiesel fuel compared to diesel can raise biodiesel prices due to increased import costs.
Overall, biodiesel is a viable alternative to diesel fuel that offers environmental and performance benefits. It is widely used in the U.S. military, state and city fleets, farms, manufacturing equipment, and the construction industry.
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Low-sulphur diesel
Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) is a variant of traditional or "normal" diesel fuel that contains significantly less sulfur. The process of reducing sulfur content also reduces the fuel's lubricating properties, as sulfur can combine with nickel in metal alloys to increase lubricity. However, the reduction in sulfur content facilitates the use of advanced emissions control technologies, which substantially lower the harmful emissions from diesel combustion.
Since the 1990s, mandates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States have resulted in a 99.7% reduction of sulfur content in diesel fuel. This reduction has directly contributed to a decrease in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, which are associated with serious health and environmental risks, including respiratory issues and lung damage. Lowering sulfur content in diesel fuel has also enabled the use of advanced emission control devices in modern diesel engines, reducing nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions by 90% and 95%, respectively.
In the European Union, the "Euro IV" standard, implemented in 2005, specified a maximum sulfur content of 50 parts per million (ppm) for diesel fuel used in most highway vehicles. By 2009, the Euro V fuel standard further reduced the maximum sulfur content to 10 ppm. In India, as of 2010, two types of diesel were available: Bharat Stage IV, with a sulfur level below 50 ppm, and Bharat Stage VI, with an ultra-low sulfur content of less than 10 ppm, which became the standard across the country in April 2020.
The use of ULSD has been a subject of debate, with some praising its environmental benefits, while others argue that it causes more issues than it solves. One challenge with ULSD is that the processing required to achieve reduced sulfur levels can alter the fuel's chemistry, leading to unintended side effects. Additionally, the reduction in lubricity due to lower sulfur content may impact the protection of engine components.
To address the lubricity concerns with ULSD, ASTM International adopted the lubricity specification defined in ASTM D975 for all diesel fuels, which took effect on January 1, 2005. This standard includes two ULSD grades: Grade No. 2-D S15 (regular ULSD) and Grade No. 1-D S15 (a higher volatility fuel with a lower gelling temperature).
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Hydrogen
To overcome these challenges, coordinated efforts are needed to enhance storage technologies, reduce production costs, and establish supportive policies. The interest in hydrogen as an alternative fuel stems from its potential for zero emissions, domestic production, and fast-filling times for vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cells can also be used to produce power for charging battery electric vehicles.
In summary, hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel for diesel engines, offering environmental and performance benefits. However, widespread adoption requires addressing technical, economic, and infrastructural challenges to make it a more viable option.
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Biomass-based producer gas
Diesel fuel alternatives are necessary to reduce emissions and move towards sustainable energy sources. One such alternative is biomass-based producer gas, which is derived from biological and thermochemical processes. Biomass-based renewable hydrocarbon fuels are very similar to the petroleum-based fuels they replace, making them compatible with modern engines, pumps, and infrastructure.
Biomass is a renewable energy source that can be converted directly into liquid biofuels for transportation. The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is working to develop next-generation biofuels from wastes, cellulosic biomass, and algae-based resources. These hydrocarbon biofuels, or "drop-in" fuels, can be used in existing refineries, tanks, pipelines, pumps, and vehicles.
Ethanol, a renewable fuel made from plant materials, is a type of biomass-based fuel. It can be blended with gasoline to increase octane and reduce carbon monoxide and other harmful emissions. E85, a gasoline-ethanol blend, is an alternative fuel with a high ethanol content, and it is used in flexible fuel vehicles. The common method for converting biomass into ethanol is fermentation, where microorganisms metabolize plant sugars to produce ethanol.
Another type of biomass-based diesel fuel is biodiesel, which is produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel can be used in its pure form (B100) with engine modifications or blended with regular diesel (B20) to reduce particulate matter. It can also reduce lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions and have a cleaning effect on the engine. However, it can increase NOx emissions.
The two main types of biomass-based alternative diesel fuels are alkyl ester-based biodiesel and hydrocarbon-based renewable diesel. These fuels are derived from fatty feedstocks, such as vegetable oils and animal fats. While vegetable oils were considered by Rudolph Diesel for his invention, they generally require modifications due to their high viscosity and poor stability at high temperatures. However, chemical modifications have been suggested to improve the viscosity of these oils.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several alternative fuels that can be used instead of diesel. Some of the most popular ones include vegetable oil, biodiesel (refined vegetable oil), and black diesel (recycled motor oil). Other alternatives include:
- Low sulphur diesel (LSD)
- Ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD)
- Butanol-diesel blends
- Biomass-based producer gas
- Hydrogen
Biodiesel is produced from new and used vegetable oils and animal fats. It is safe, biodegradable, and leads to a reduction in particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. It can be used in its pure form (B100) if engine modifications are made, but it is more usually blended as 20% biodiesel with 80% regular diesel (B20).
Black diesel is recycled motor oil. If you are running black diesel, it needs to be refined and mixed down. It should also be run at a ratio of no more than 20:1 to avoid coking up injectors.
Older IDI diesel engines can run on alternative fuels. If you are in the USA, look for a diesel pre-2007, and preferably no earlier than 2004. Later engines have tighter clearances in the fuel systems and more advanced emissions systems. Military vehicles will also run on several different types of fuels.
Alternative fuels can help reduce harmful emissions and provide energy security and self-reliance. They can also be more cost-effective and have a positive impact on the environment by reducing climate impacts.
