Reducing the anthropogenic load on the environment through the use of reformulated automotive fuels based on oxygenates

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia

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Abstract

This paper analyzes environmental problems caused by pollutant emissions from automobile engines and substantiates the relevance of using reformulated diesel fuels containing oxygenates as additives. The possibility of obtaining stable fuel–ethanol emulsions based on commercial winter diesel fuel with an ethanol content from 1 to 10 vol.% was investigated. The effect of stabilizing additives, namely primary saturated aliphatic alcohols such as propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, heptan-1-ol, and octan-1-ol, on the aggregative stability of emulsions was studied. It was established that, without emulsifiers, phase separation of the mixtures occurs rapidly, whereas the introduction of 1 vol.% alkanols slows down coalescence. The cloud point of emulsions stabilized with propan-1-ol was determined, and its increase with a growing volume fraction of ethanol was shown. The cetane index of the obtained compositions was calculated; for all samples, its value was found to be no lower than 52, which meets regulatory requirements. The electrokinetic potential of emulsion particles was measured using phase analysis light scattering. Propan-1-ol and butan-1-ol are proposed as economically justified stabilizers. It is concluded that the use of alkanol additives is promising for reducing harmful emissions, improving the environmental safety of diesel engines, and decreasing the negative impact of motor transport on the environment.