Projects

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High efficiency exhaust emissions control

By developing a new system for the control of combustion emissions it is expected that net overall fuel efficiency savings of 5-10% over those achieved with existing emissions control technologies will be possible.

This project aims to develop a system to control all the key pollutants associated with fuel combustion (including NOx, CO, HC and particulates) using a single compact device. This system will bypass the need for use of expensive platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts and will not require reductants such as urea.

The research will focus on diesel due to the high potential savings when compared with selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The process will however be applicable to any combustion process. This includes use with certain biofuels which are not compatible with catalytic technology due to high levels of trace elements found in plants which cause damage to catalysts.

Second-generation bio-oil refining using atmospheric microwave reaction of free fatty acids

Used oils have high proportions of free fatty acids (FFAs), which either require an expensive plant to convert into a usable fuel, or (more frequently) are converted into a waste by-product. If left untreated FFAs depress yields of bio-diesel and are harmful to engines when used as SVO. Algal bio-oils and oils from pyrolysis also contain similar contaminants or potentially valuable fine chemicals that should to be extracted before use. This research seeks to optimise the overall cost equation of processing bio-oils.

The project will use microwave-assisted chemistry for bio-oil refining, a system with low energy inputs and free from chemical catalysts. The FFA component will be separated out and converted, cleaning the oil for use as a fuel or feedstock for CHP, enhancing yields and creating a usable by-product. The process will have low capital and operational costs and reduce the number of operational steps required. It will also be able to refine waste bio-oil to create a new supply chain for bio-oil CHP.

An on-site pilot processing plant will demonstrate the novel technology and act as a model for wider application, at larger scales and for a wider range of bio-refining reactions and chemical processing.

Testing of protective engine coatings for use with biofuels

This research explores the application of coatings to the fuel-wetted components of the injection system, and combustion chamber parts, in order to harden the engine against damage by harsh types of biofuel.

A variety of advanced protective coatings were applied to the fuel pump, injectors, piston rings and crowns in our generator testing facility to investigate the protective properties and durability of each coating type.

Conversion of waste glycerol to an added value fuel blending component

The manufacture of biodiesel creates glycerol as a low-value waste product. Using microwave-enhanced chemistry, this waste glycerol can be converted into medium-chain alcohols which can be used as a diesel fuel additive. This creates a higher-value by-product for use in the in the road transport or CHP sectors.

The process has a low overall energy input, avoiding the use of high temperatures or pressures typically associated with such reactions, significantly lowering the carbon intensity throughout the system.

To read more about this project and our research partners please click here.

Use of bio-oils in CHP applications

The aim of this research was to understand how diesel engines could be used for flexible renewable power generation to produce a high-reliability application such as CHP, using both virgin and used bio-oils as feedstock. Low-cost fuel processing, engine management, performance and failure modes of engines running on biofuels were investigated, along with the effects of blending the fuels with diesel and the addition of fuel additives.

Longma now produces an additive designed specifically for use with biofuels, Vplus7, and we have been successfully generating CHP from used cooking oil since 2006.

Other outcomes of the work on this project include a commercial application which Longma is currently working on, to install a 4MW generator at our Hereford site for the supply of renewable power.

To read more about this project and our research partners please click here.

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