Diesel fuel properties of renewable polyoxymethylene ethers with structural diversity

Arellano-Treviño, Martha A.; Baddour, Frederick G.; To, Anh T.; Alleman, Teresa L.; Hays, Cameron; Luecke, Jon; Zhu, Junqing; McEnally, Charles S.; Pfefferle, Lisa D.; Foust, Thomas D.; Ruddy, Daniel A.

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2023.130353

Diesel fuel properties of renewable polyoxymethylene ethers with structural diversity

Journal Article · Fri Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2023 · Fuel

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.130353· OSTI ID:2222412

Arellano-Treviño, Martha A. ^[1]; Baddour, Frederick G. ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[2]; Hays, Cameron ^[3]; ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[5]; Pfefferle, Lisa D. ^[5]; Foust, Thomas D. ^[1]; ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-Up Center
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Holly Energy Partners, Henderson, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States); ExxonMobil, Annandale, NJ (United States)
Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States)

Polyoxymethylene ethers (POMEs) are a class of low-soot and high-cetane oxygenate oligomers of structure RO-(CH₂O-)_$$n$$-R, with different chain lengths ($$n$$) and end-groups (R) that determine their diesel-like fuel properties. Commercial POMEs with methyl end-groups (MM-POME_3-6) exhibit undesirably low energy density and high-water solubility. A previous computational assessment indicated that the lower heating value (LHV) and water solubility for MM-POME_3-6 both improve upon end-group exchange with larger butyl, $iso$-butyl and $iso$-pentyl end-groups. Here, we expanded upon our initial trans-acetalization reaction that employed 1-butanol to install butyl end-groups to also include branched, higher carbon-number end-groups using $iso$-butanol and fusel oil as reagents. Additionally, these new products are termed $$i$$B*POME_1-6, and FOil*POME_1-5, respectively, and collectively referred to as R*POMEs. They possess the advantaged properties of the parent MM-POME_3-6 while exhibiting higher LHV (31 MJ kg^-1 and 28 MJ kg^-1 for $$i$$B*POME_1-6, and FOil*POME_1-5, respectively) and much reduced water solubility (2.7 g L^-1 and 1 g L^-1 for $$i$$B*POME_1-6, and FOil*POME_1-5, respectively). Additional fuel property analyses were performed using 20 vol% blends of the R*POMEs with a base diesel fuel. Overall, the greater energy density and decreased water solubility of the R*POMEs, as well as their synergistic blending with diesel at moderate blend levels, provide the greatest benefits to consumers and position this group of products as an environmentally friendlier blendstock alternative to the commercially available MM-POME_3-6.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Colorado State University; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; EE0008726

OSTI ID:: 2222412

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2205378

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5100-87954; MainId:88729; UUID:9223d376-d6fa-4f7e-8b3d-e3b4453783a5; MainAdminID:71049

Journal Information:: Fuel, Journal Name: Fuel Journal Issue: Part B Vol. 358; ISSN 0016-2361

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
bio-blendstock
fuel properties
polyoxymethylene ethers
trans-acetalization
water solubility

Diesel fuel properties of renewable polyoxymethylene ethers with structural diversity

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