Clean and efficient heavy duty diesel engine running on 2nd generation bioethanol

The present activity deals with efficient and clean utilization of second-generation low-grade biofuel for transport application. It follows the successful feasibility study carried on in a previous EUDP project The new project aims to elaborate, build and operate a pilot system that will take this technology up to a pre-commercial stage. We consider a second-generation bio-ethanol fuel prior to purification (which would be improper for engine operation) and will upgrade it on-board for powering a diesel engine. Alternatively, the engine can be fuelled with any ethanol containing fuel and take advantage of existing distribution infrastructure. In this project, a light compact reformer system will be built. A robust catalyst with high activity will be developed and a truck size engine will be modified for upgraded ethanol. All this will be combined with a power generator as load for a 1000 h durability test of the developed components, and finally degradation and wear of the system components will be studied. The developed system and parts as well as the experience with the durability test will be the basis of constructing systems for trucks aimed on introduction into the market