Diesel engines running on 2nd generation bioethanol

In the project, a chemical reactor system, called OBATE reformer, has been developed to convert
ethanol to diethyl ether and water in order to make it into a diesel fuel. It is shown that the conversion
can be made with high energy efficiency. The product after the reactor system is a mix of ethanol,
diethyl ether and water and is an eminent diesel fuel with a high cetane number. The fuel mix is
called “OBATE fuel”, where OBATE stands for On Board Alcohol to Ether. The fuel has been tested in a
four-cylinder HDI passenger car diesel engine, for which the fuel injection has been calibrated and optimized
for the OBATE fuel using a programmable electronic control unit. Test runs have been made
where the efficiency and emissions have been measured, not only at constant load and revolution but
also during transient operation in passenger certification cycles. The complete system consisting of
OBATE reactor and engine was combined for test at Teknologisk Institut in Aarhus, in order to demonstrate
the entire process from converting ethanol to OBATE fuel which then was used in the engine as one unit. Runs were made with varying loads, where emissions from the engine were measured, and it was demonstrated that the level of both NOx and particles was low, and that future emission requirement could possibly be reached without aftertreatment of the exhaust gasses.

The project has been recognized by automotive companies from abroad who have activities in both Brazil and in the USA. There is a ban on the more fuel-efficient diesel car in Brazil, since the country has decided to spare the diesel for transport of goods with heavy-duty trucks. The OBATE technology opens up for using ethanol in the diesel cars as well as in gasoline cars as today.