The Use of Diesel Produced from Sugar Cane at CONAMA PROCONVE P7 Engines, its Environmental Benefits and Influence over the Engine Performance and Exhaust Gas After Treatment System 2013-36-0209
With the purpose of minimizing the gaseous emissions impacts on the metropolitan areas, many alternative fuel resources has been developed as alternatives to fossil fuels. An environmentally and economical interesting alternative for the Brazilian market is the diesel made from sugar cane (Farnesene - C15H32).
The Farnesene, made by sugar cane juice fermentation in presence of a genetically modified yeast is basically a saturated hydrocarbon molecule (C15H32) with more than 98% purity and that presents properties comparable to fossil diesel and when used in regular diesel cycle engines can bring significantly reductions not only in soot levels (Particulate Matter - PM) but also on the Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), unlike the biodiesel, that is well known that it brings increases on NOx emission level due its physic-chemical properties. Reduction on CO2 levels on life cycle is another important benefit of using such fuel since it's made by renewable feedstock.
With the purpose of evaluate the farnesene use benefits, several tests were conducted at Mercedes-Benz do Brazil engine development labs using an OM926LA E5 engine that fulfills CONAMA PROCONVE P7 legislation in effect in Brazil since January 2012. Blends of 10, 20, 30, 50, 75 and 100% of Farnesene content with ANP65/2011 B_S50 (50ppm Sulfur content) regular diesel fuel were tested. The 5% of biodiesel content, according current legislation, was respected in all blends with the exception of pure Farnesene (100% C15H32).
The obtained results brings many advantages of using Farnesene with reductions of 35% on Particle Matter, 37% in NOx levels and also decrease of Hydrocarbon (HC) and Carbon Monoxides (CO) levels, showing itself as an excellent alternative to fossil diesel fuel.
Citation: Machado, A. and Shiraiwa, N., "The Use of Diesel Produced from Sugar Cane at CONAMA PROCONVE P7 Engines, its Environmental Benefits and Influence over the Engine Performance and Exhaust Gas After Treatment System," SAE Technical Paper 2013-36-0209, 2013, https://doi.org/10.4271/2013-36-0209. Download Citation
