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U.S. Department of Energy
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Tailored Bioblendstocks with Low Environmental Impact to Optimize MCCI Engines

Conference ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2004657· OSTI ID:2004657
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); University of Michigan
  2. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
  3. Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

The overall objective of the project is to develop and demonstrate a microalgae bio-blendstock with greater than 60% greenhouse gas reduction potential relative to petroleum diesel, that can reduce sooting propensity, increase cetane number and improve engine thermal efficiency relative to a baseline diesel engine operating on conventional fuel. Specific objectives include: (1) development of a new framework for both LCA and TEA that explicitly considers temporal variation in productivity and the frequency of crop loss; (2) determination of how fuel compounds that can be produced from the algal biomass can be ‘bio-tailored’ based on the species composition and biological production process, and subsequent processing via HTL to biocrude, and upgrading of the biocrude; (3) execution of a feedback loop (algae production  biocrude refining  combustion optimization  feedback to refining stage), for optimization of fuels for MCCI combustion; (4) optimization of MCCI combustion and emissions performance, accounting first for the biological processes that dictate the chemical composition of biocrude oil, and second for the subsequent chemical processes that comprise mixing controlled compression ignition combustion; (6) simulation of MCCI engine combustion processes to demonstrate the incorporation of relevant fuel chemistry that captures the specific impacts of optimized algal fuels.

Research Organization:
University of Michigan
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)
Contributing Organization:
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
DOE Contract Number:
EE0008482
OSTI ID:
2004657
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English