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Use of Carbon Dots to Boost Energy Content of Biodiesel to Enable Next- Generation Hybrid Heavy Vehicles for Ground Transportation While Improving Safety

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English


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  • Publication/ Report Number:
    25-1121-3002-102
  • Resource Type:
    Tech Report
  • Geographical Coverage:
    United States
  • Edition:
    Final report, Year 1, August 2023- December 2024
  • Corporate Publisher:
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mid-America Transportation Center
  • Abstract:
    The transition to renewable energy is driven by both environmental and geopolitical factors. In the transportation sector, this has manifested through electrification and increased adoption of biofuel. Full electrification is sufficient to power light duty vehicles, but heavier vehicles are more likely to require a hybrid model. , Heavy duty vehicles require the most torque at low speed and low engine rpm. While biodiesel has many positive aspects, its specific energy density is about 40 MJ/kg while petro-diesel is closer to 45 MJ/kg. Increasing the energy density of biodiesel is a critical aspect in enabling widespread adoption, and this project aims to directly tackle this issue. Higher energy density means a lower volume of fuel is required, and this significantly reduces the extent of any fire. This project will develop “Green Nanofuel” where nano structured energetic and catalytic materials are used with liquid fuel to increase the energy density and fuel economy while reducing the required volume, GHG and PM emission. Previous studies by the PI have shown that a carbon-based nano-additive can significantly modify the energy density of liquid fuels, and these behaviors can be tailored based on the specific requirement. Year one research investigated the combustion characteristics of diesel-biodiesel blends and gel-like carbon dots (G-CDs) based nanofuels using a suspension droplet method and shadowgraph imaging. Diesel-biodiesel blends, ranging from B5 to B75, derived from waste cooking oil and animal fat, exhibited two combustion stages: a steady combustion stage followed by a puffing stage. Puffing peaked at B25, while B10 demonstrated the highest combustion rate. Biodiesel blends showed improved combustion rates over neat diesel. However, pre-ignition time increased with biodiesel content, posing ignition challenges. Nanofuels infused with GCDs, ranging from 0.01 percent to 1.00 percent by weight, were analyzed in single-component n-Dodecane and multi-component Jet-A fuels. G-CDs improved combustion rates by up to 19 percent, particularly at concentrations between 0.075 and 0.10 percent by weight, due to enhanced heat transfer and secondary droplet. However, concentrations exceeding 0.50 percent led to nanoparticle aggregation, hindering vaporization and reducing combustion efficiency. In multi-component fuels, puffing intensity and frequency significantly impacted combustion behavior, with optimal performance observed at G-CDs concentrations between 0.05 and 0.10 percent. The findings highlight the potential of G-CDs as combustion enhancers and their application in biodiesel to improve combustion performance, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction while ensuring practical feasibility in fuel applications.
  • Format:
    PDF
  • Funding:
    69A3552348307
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  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:94a1605528cb90eea2dfe9adc44a657087fb8463d49a86989f2b330ac0b3d0deafb2c22731eba05d4438ae35066fc2b2e8d64604698afb246f31ef463ac9020b
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    Filetype[PDF - 2.86 MB ]
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