Structural Properties of Baked Clay Bricks Fired with Alternate Fuels

Coal is used as a traditional fuel for firing of clay bricks in kilns. The cost of coal is high and is increasing continuously. This paper describes the effect of alternate fuels on compressive strength, water absorption and density of fired clay bricks. The alternate fuels used in this study were 1) rapeseed husk (Type I), 2) combination of sugarcane-bagasse, rice husk and used clothes (Type II) and 3) coal (Type III). The results show that compressive strength of bricks fired using Type I and Type II fuels was decreased to 11% and 7%, respectively, compared to those fired with coal. However, the values of water absorption and density of bricks fired with Type I and Type II fuels were almost same as exhibited by those baked with coal. This study shows that a saving of 25%, and 18% could be achieved when the bricks were fired using Type I and Type II fuels, respectively, compared to those fired with coal.

The green fuel from carbon waste： optimization and product selectivity model studies

Increase in greenhouse gases, has made scientists to substitute alternative fuels for fossil fuels. Nowadays, converting biomass into liquid by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a major concern for alternative fuels （gasoline, diesel etc.）. Selectivity of Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon product （green fuel） is an important issue. In this study, the experimental data has been obtained from three factors; temperature, H2/CO ratio and pressure in the fixed bed micro reactor. T = 543-618 （K）, P = 3-10 （bar）, H2/CO = 1-2 and space velocity = 4500 （l/h） were the reactor conditions. The results of product modeling for methane （CH4）, ethane （C2H6）, ethylene （C2H4） and CO conversion with experimental data were compared. The effective parameters and the interaction between them were investigated in the model. H2/CO ratio and pressure and interaction between pressure and H2/CO in ethane selectivity model and CO conversion and interaction between temperature and H2/CO ratio in methane selectivity model and ethylene gave the best results. To determine the optimal conditions for light hydrocarbons, ANOVA and RSM were employed. Finally, products optimization was done and results were concluded.

The Introduction of Biofuels in Marine Sector

Sulphur and emissions related limits which are imposed on marine fuels drive the maritime industry to look on alternative fuels. The maximum sulphur content of the fuel has already decreased in the ECAs SOx （Sulphur Emission Control Areas） from 1.5% to 1% from 1 July, 2010, and to 0.1% from 1 January, 2015. Globally, the highest permitted sulphur content of fuel will be reduced, as from 1 January, 2020 to 0.5%. Increasing demand of low sulphur fuel is anticipated, leading to a substantial mitigation of marine fuels from residual to distillate ones. Biodiesel or else FAME （Fatty Acid Methyl Esters） and mixtures of it with conventional petroleum fuels, constitute alternative energy source for the maritime industry. The International Standard EN （European Norme） ISO （International Organization for Standardization） 8217 specifies the requirements of petroleum fuels for use in marine diesel engines. According to the previous version of EN ISO 8217：2012, distillate fuels should comply with the ＂de minimis level＂ of approximately 0.1% v/v FAME. Nevertheless, with the latest revision of EN ISO 8217 standard in 2017, the incorporation of FAME up to 7% v/v is allowed in specific marine distillate grades as DF （Distillate FAME） grades. Marine distillates can also include hydrocarbons from synthetic or renewable sources, similar to the composition of petroleum distillate fuels.

Introduction to a Fuel Continuous Mixer for Marine Diesel Engines＇ Application

To use the renewable fuels for marine field is still very limited due to the need of newly developed technology, highly requested safety （for gas fuel） and high price of biodiesel. Therefore, with some advantages, such as： simple producing process, reasonable price and simple modification technology needed, the blended SVO （straight vegetable oil） is recommended as suitable fuel for the marine application. Even though, there are some disadvantages of the blended SVO, such as a weak stability, layer separation in low temperature and some others. In order to apply the blended SVO as alternative fuel for marine diesel engines without the mentioned disadvantages, the paper will introduce a method to design and produce a fuel continuous mixer to make a blended SVO （palm oil）.

Municipal Waste Plastics Conversion into Aviation Fuel

Aviation fuel is in great demand globally. The increased demand and high price for energy sources are driving efforts to convert natural non-renewable organic compounds into useful hydrocarbon fuel materials such as in form of aviation fuel. Alternate sources to these non-renewable hydrocarbon fuels are important and necessary. Much of these alternative sources are focused on biomass however, there are strong benefits of deriving fuels from waste plastic materials. Thermal processes can be used to convert waste plastics into hydrocarbon fuels like aviation fuel, which have unlimited applications in airline industries, as well as in transportation and power generation industries. These thermal processes are used to break down the long carbon chains found in plastics into the shorter chains in a temperature range from 300-450 ℃. This method has been carried out in succession in previous experiments. This simple and economically viable process has been developed to convert the hydrocarbon polymers of waste plastics into the short and medium chain hydrocarbons of liquid fuels. Based on the initial characterization, a fractionated portion of the developed fuel shows properties similar to some of the commercially available aviation fuels.

Implementation Application of Alternative Fuel for Land Transportation Sector in Indonesia Based on Other Countries Experience

The usage of alternative fuel as a substitute of oil fuel for transportation sector in developed countries has been commonly implemented in order to decrease crude oil consumption, where in a few years back, the crude oil price is constantly increasing. In addition, global warming issue becomes one of reasons that motivate many countries to switch for a cleaner energy usage. As a country that has a relatively big reserve of natural gas, its appropriate natural gas could minimize subsidized oil fuel and also financing country＇s burden if Indonesia is optimizing the usage of energy resources. This paper will discuss about the background of gas fuel usage for road transportation sector in Indonesia, review of alternative fuel usage, the gas fuel usage status in Indonesia and gas usage recommendation for land transportation sector in Indonesia based on other countries experiences.

Decarbonizing in Maritime Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities

As global warming caused by greenhouse gases grows (GHGs) into a global environmental threat, carbon dioxide emissions are drawing increasing attention in these years. Among all emission sources, transportation is a major contributor to climate change because of its high dependence on fossil fuels. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has therefore been promoting the reduction of fuel usage and carbon emissions for container ships by such measures as improving shipping route selection, shipping speed optimization, and constructing clean energy propulsion systems. In this paper, a review of the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on climate change is presented;the current situations of carbon dioxide emissions, decarbonizing methods, IMO regulations, and possible future directions of decarbonizing in the maritime transportation industry are also discussed. Based on the result, it is found that in the case that non intelligent ships still occupy the vast majority of operating ships, the use of new energy as the main propulsion fuel has the defects of high renewal cost and long effective period. It is more likely to achieve energy conservation and emission reduction in the shipping industry in a short period of time by using intelligent means and artificial intelligence to assist ship operation. .

Overview of Past, Present and Future Marine Power Plants

In efforts to overcome an foreseeable energy crisis predicated on limited oil and gas supplies, reserves; economic variations facing the world, and of course the environmental side effects of fossil fuels, an urgent need for energy sources that provide sustainable, safe and economic supplies for the world is imperative. The current fossil fuel energy system must be improved to ensure a better and cleaner transportation future for the world. Despite the fact that the marine transportation sector consumes only 5% of global petroleum production; it is responsible for 15% of the world NOx and SOx emissions. These figures must be the engine that powers the scientific research worldwide to develop new solutions for a very old energy problem. In this paper, the most effective types of marine power plants were discussed. The history of the development of each type was presented first and the technical aspects were discussed second. Also, the fuel ceils as a new type of power plants used in marine sector were briefed to give a complete overview of the past, present and future of the marine power plants development. Based on the increased worldwide concerns regarding harmful emissions, many researchers have introduced solutions to this problem, including the adoption of new cleaner fuels. This paper was guided using the same trend and by implementing the hydrogen as fuel for marine internal combustion engine, gas turbines, and fuel cells.

Investigation of performance and emission characteristics of waste cooking oil as biodiesel in a diesel engine

Biodiesel is one of the most popular prospective alternative fuels and can be obtained from a variety of sources. Waste frying oil is one such source along with the various raw vegetable oils. However, some specific technical treatments are required to improve certain fuel properties such as viscosity and calorific value of the biodiesel being obtained from waste cooking oil methyl ester （WCOME）. Various treatments are applied depending on the source and therefore the composition of the cooking oil. This research investigated the performance of WCOME as an alternative biofuel in a four-stroke direct injection diesel engine. An 8-mode test was undertaken with diesel fuel and five WCOME blends. The best compromise blend in terms of performance and emissions was identified. Results showed that energy utilization factors of the blends were similar within the range of the operational parameters （speed, load and WCOME content）. Increasing biodiesel content produced slightly more smoke and NOx for a great majority of test points, while the CO and THC emissions were lower.

The trajectory of hybrid and hydrogen technologies in North American heavy haul operations

The central aim of this paper is to provide an upto-date snapshot of hybrid and hydrogen technology-related developments and activities in the North American heavy haul railway setting,placed in the context of the transportation industry more broadly.An overview of relevant alternative propulsion technologies is provided,including a discussion of applicability to the transportation sector in general and heavy haul freight rail specifically.This is followed by a discussion of current developments and research in alternative and blended fuels,discussed again in both general and specific settings.Key factors and technical considerations for heavy haul applications are reviewed,followed by a discussion of non-technical and human factors that motivate a move toward clean energy in North American Heavy Haul systems.Finally,current project activities are described to provide a clear understanding of both the status and trajectory of hybrid and hydrogen technologies in the established context.

Measurements of Laminar Burning Velocities of Alternative Fuels:Application in Transport and Aerospace

The laminar burning velocity belongs to the fundamental combustion properties of fuels being a measure for their heat release,flame length,as well as reactivity and combustion stability,and thus,may impact the design of burners and combustion chambers.Also,these experimental data are needed for the validation and optimization within the construction and development of detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanisms.Within this study,an overview of the different applications of fuel characterization regarding the specific area of interest(road transport,aviation,and aerospace)will be given.Depending on the application,effects of different molecular characteristics on the laminar burning velocity are evaluated:the presence of oxygen atoms and the grade of branching in a specific fuel molecule as well as the difference in the type of a chemical bond,here,single and double bonds.Examples of alternative fuels being discussed in the present study are:(Ⅰ)oxymethylene ether(OMEn)in the field of road transport;(Ⅱ)a paraffinic Alcohol-to-Jet fuel as sustainable aviation fuel;and(Ⅲ)mixtures of ethane or ethene with nitrous oxide as green propellants for rocket propulsion applications.

Composite Cathode Based on Redox-Reversible Nb2TiO7 for Direct High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis

Ni/YSZ fuel electrodes can only operate under strongly reducing conditions for steam elec- trolysis in an oxide-ion-conducting solid oxide electrolyzer （SOE）. In atmosphere with a low content of H2 or without H2, cathodes based on redox-reversible Nb2TiO7 provide a promising alternative. The reversible changes between oxidized Nb2TiO7 and reduced Nbl.33Tio.6704 samples are systematically investigated after redox-cycling tests. The conductivities of Nb2TiO7 and reduced Nb1.33Tio.6704 are studied as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure and correlated with the electrochemical properties of the composite electrodes in a symmetric cell and SOE at 830 ℃. Steam electrolysis is then performed using an oxide-ion-conducting SOE based on a Nb1.33Ti0.6704 composite fuel electrode at 830 ℃. The current-voltage and impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrate that the reduction and activation of the fuel electrode is the main process at low voltage; however, the steam electrolysis dominates the entire process at high voltages. The Faradic efficiencies of steam electrolysis reach 98.9% when 3%H2O/Ar/4%H2 is introduced to the fuel electrode and 89% for that with introduction of 3%H2O/Ar.

Optimum High-Quality Ceramic Support like SiC, AI203 ＆ TiO2 for Cobalt as a Very Active Metal for Fisher-Tropsch-Synthesis in a Fixed Bed Reactor Configuration

A series of experiments were performed on indigenously synthesized catalyst pallets of cobalt as a very active metal on ceramic support like SiC, A1203 ＆ TiO2 in a fixed bed reactor configuration with an aim to study the catalyst activity ＆ selectivity, chemical kinetics, design flexibility, temperature, pressure by characteristics diffusion distance. Catalyst pallets were prepared and then characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, and Temperature Programmed Reduction. The results showed the Brunaner, Emmett and Teller area of SiC was the lowest among the three supports prepared for testing. However, its reducibility showed improvement with use of cobalt acetate, as a precursor, rather than cobalt nitrates. Mechanical strength and behavior was checked by the hardness testing machine. Fischer Tropsch （FT） synthesis experiments were performed in the fixed bed reactor set at 450-500 K and 2.3-2.5 MPa using synthetic gas having HJCO ration = 2.0. FT synthesis showed that cobalt/silicon carbide catalyst gives high CO conversion and lower methane selectivity, compared to Co/A1203 and Co/TiO2, as well as high C5＋ selectivity of almost 90%. Moreover, its stability was enhanced by the addition of Zr02, as without this addition, the Co/SiC interactions are weaker and can cause carbon sintering, and thus, the deactivation rate to increase.

Continuous flow pyrolysis of virgin and waste polyolefins:a comparative study,process optimization and product characterization

Under optimal process conditions,pyrolysis of polyolefins can yield ca.90 wt%of liquid product,i.e.,combination of light oil fraction and heavier wax.In this work,the experimental findings reported in a selected group of publications concerning the non-catalytic pyrolysis of polyolefins were collected,reviewed,and compared with the ones obtained in a continuously operated bench-scale pyrolysis reactor.Optimized process parameters were used for the pyrolysis of waste and virgin counterparts of high-density polyethylene,low-density polyethylene,polypropylene and a defined mixture of those(i.e.,25:25:50 wt%,respectively).To mitigate temperature drops and enhance heat transfer,an increased feed intake is employed to create a hot melt plastic pool.With 1.5 g·min^(-1) feed intake,1.1 L·min^(-1) nitrogen flow rate,and a moderate pyrolysis temperature of 450℃,the formation of light hydrocarbons was favored,while wax formation was limited for polypropylene-rich mixtures.Pyrolysis of virgin plastics yielded more liquid(maximum 73.3 wt%)than that of waste plastics(maximum 66 wt%).Blending polyethylenes with polypropylene favored the production of liquids and increased the formation of gasoline-range hydrocarbons.Gas products were mainly composed of C3 hydrocarbons,and no hydrogen production was detected due to moderate pyrolysis temperature.

Performance analysis of karanja and kusum oils as alternative bio-diesel fuel in diesel engine

Scarcity of conventional petroleum resources has promoted research in alternative fuels for internal combustion engines.Among various possible options,fuels derived from triglycerides(vegetable oils/animal fats)are promising for the substitution of fossil diesel fuel.Vegetable oils poses some characteristics like durability,high viscosity and low volatility compared to mineral diesel fuel.In the present work,experiments were designed to study the effect of reducing kusum and karanja oil’s viscosity by preheating the fuel,using a shell and tube heat exchanger.The acquired engine data were analyzed for various parameters such as brake thermal efficiency,brake specific energy consumption(BSEC),emission of exhaust gases like CO,CO_(2),HC and NO_(x).In operation,the engine performance with kusum and karanja oil(preheated),was found to be very close to that of diesel.The preheated oil's performances were found to be slightly inferior in efficiency due to low heating value.The performance of karanja oil was found better than kusum oil in all respects.

Supercritical thermophysical properties prediction of multi-component hydrocarbon fuels based on artificial neural network models

A good understanding of the thermophysical properties of hydrocarbon fuels at supercritical pressure is important to research on experiment and numerical simulation of fuel supercritical spray.Experimental measurements are difficult to conduct directly because of the extremely high pressure and high temperature.In this study,back propagation(BP)neural network,BP optimized by mind evolution algorithm(MEA-BP)and BP neural network optimized by genetic algorithm(GA-BP)are established to determine the nonlinear temperature-dependent thermophysical properties of density,viscosity,and isobaric specific heat(C_(2))of hydrocarbon fuels at supercritical pressure.Meanwhile,approximate formulas for these properties prediction are primarily proposed using polynomial fitting.In this paper,models that can predict three types of physical properties of three kinds of hydrocarbon fuels and their mixtures in a wide temperature range under supercritical pressure are established.In the prediction of density and C_(2),BP neural network has a good prediction effect.The results show that the MAPE is lower than 2%in the prediction of density and C_(2),but the MAPE of viscosity prediction is slightly higher than 5%using BP.Furthermore,MEA and GA are used to optimize the prediction of viscosity.The optimization effect and computation of the MEA is better than that of GA because MEA does not have the local optimization and prematurity problems.The present work offers an efficient tool to predict the thermophysical properties of hydrocarbon fuels over a wide range of temperatures under supercritical pressure which can be easily extended to other fuels of interest.It will be beneficial to the experiment and numerical simulation studies of supercritical sprays.

Characterization and Effect of Using Mahua Oil Biodiesel as Fuel in Compression Ignition Engine

There is an increasing interest in India, to search for suitable alternative fuels that are environment friendly. Thisled to the choice of Mahua Oil (MO) as one of the main alternative fuels to diesel. In this investigation, MahuaOil Biodiesel (MOB) and its blend with diesel were used as fuel in a single cylinder, direct injection and compressionignition engine. The MOB was prepared from MO by transesterification using methanol and potassiumhydroxide. The fuel properties of MOB are close to the diesel and confirm to the ASTM standards. From the enginetest analysis, it was observed that the MOB, B5 and B20 blend results in lower CO, HC and smoke emissionsas compared to diesel. But the B5 and B20 blends results in higher efficiency as compared to MOB. HenceMOB or blends of MOB and diesel (B5 or B20) can be used as a substitute for diesel in diesel engines used intransportation as well as in the agriculture sector.

Comparative Assessment of Low-Concentration Ethanol and Waste Fish Oil Biodiesel Blends on Emission Reduction and Performance Improvement in Variable Compression Ratio Engine

The costs of conventional fuels are rising on a daily basis as a result of technical limits,a misallocation of resources between demand and supply,and a shortage of conventional fuel.The use of crude oil contributes to increased environmental contamination,and as a result,there is a pressing need to investigate alternate fuel sources for car applications.Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that is derived chemically by reacting with the sources of biodiesel.The present research is based on analyzing the effect of fish oil biodiesel-ethanol blend in variable compression engine for variable compression ratio(VCR).The processed fish oil was procured and subjected to a transesterification process to convert fatty acids into methyl esters.The obtained methyl esters(biodiesel)were blended with ethanol and diesel to obtain a ternary blend.The ternary blend was tested for its stability,and a stable blend was obtained and tested in VCR engines for its performance,combustion,and emission characteristics.In the second phase,experiments are conducted in the diesel engine by fueling the fish oil methyl ester and ethanol blended with diesel fuel in the concentration of 92.5 vol%of Diesel+7.5 vol%of Fish oil+1.25vol%ethanol,92.5 vol%of Diesel+7.5 vol%of Fish oil+5 vol%ethanol,87.5 vol%of Diesel+12.5 vol%of Fish oil+1.25 vol%ethanol,87.5 vol%of Diesel+12.5 vol%of Fish oil+5 vol%ethanol,82.5 vol%of Diesel+17.5vol%of Fish oil+1.25 vol%ethanol,82.5 vol%of Diesel+17.5 vol%of Fish oil+5 vol%ethanol to find out the performance parameters and emissions.Because the alternative fuel performs better in terms of engine performance and pollution management,the percentage chosen is considered the best mix.The results showed that the use of a lower concentration of ethanol in the fish oil biodiesel blend improved the engine thermal efficiency by 5.23%at a higher compression ratio.Similarly,the engine operated with a higher compression ratio reduced the formation of HC and CO emissions,whereas the NOxand CO_(2)emissions increased with an increased proportion of biodiesel in diesel and ethanol blends.

INTRODUCING BIOMASS ENERGY AT FERRUM COLLEGE:THE CHALLENGE OF INTRODUCING NEW TECHNOLOGY

Ferrum College and English Biomass Partners have been working together for nearly five years to design,build,and operate a biomass plant that will provide almost all of the thermal energy and a portion of electricity requirements for the campus.The biomass plant began full operation in 2014.This is the story of what they have learned.Introducing new technologies into existing systems to achieve strategic sustainability goals often create unexpected challenges that threaten hoped for benefits and leave participants wondering what went wrong.Yet even projects that present these challenges are also great sources of encouragement and learning.Many projects begin with a focus on the promise of a particular technology,(in this case using biomass for fuel),and while the prospects can be exciting,it can obscure the hard work of preparing the existing system for change.Moreover,the“systems”that frequently present the most difficulty are the human systems and behaviors that influence implementation.Because these are not well-understood or documented they are“uncovered”during implementation.The purpose of this article is to identify critical success factors and provide insight about processes that enhance the likelihood of success.

NATURAL GAS AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUEL

Research in Early Days In early 1950s to 1960s, China began to study natural gas as an alternative fuel according to the State Science & Technology Commission’s requirment of widely utilizing natural gas. A testing station for natural gas vehicles was established in Sichuan province