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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Consortium Seeks Stimulus Funding for DME-Electric Hybrid Buses
June 15, 2009
A consortium is seeking US stimulus funding available through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program to convert 20 hybrid diesel-electric buses to hybrid dimethyl-ether (DME)-electric propulsion.
Among the consortium members is Alternative Fuel Technology, Inc., a developer of fuel injection equipment for DME-fueled vehicles. Volvo Truck Corp. has been using AFT fuel systems in field demonstrations and in laboratory research since 1995, according to the company.
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DME Low-Temperature Combustion Concept Maintains Low NOx with Decreases in CO and HC Emissions
December 14, 2008
Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University are exploring a new combustion concept for dimethyl ether (DME): low-temperature combustion (LTC) of a compound charge combining port aspiration and in-cylinder direct injection (DI). In comparison to a DME homogeneous charge compression (HCCI) combustion mode, DME LTC can extend the engine operating range with little change in NOx emissions and a considerable reduction in HC and CO emissions. A paper on their work was published online 8 December in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
The same research team earlier this published a paper on the development of a DME compound charge compression ignition (CCCI) process. (Earlier post.) The CCCI combustion process consists of HCCI combustion, premixing combustion, and diffusion combustion. The combustion characteristics are mainly decided by the premixed fuel ratio and CO2 concentration in the air charge.
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Dimethoxymethane (DMM)/Diesel Blends as a Low-Cost Approach for Emissions Control
November 17, 2008
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| Relationship between NOx and smoke of the DMM blends under one set of speed and load conditions. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong University in China have investigated the combustion, performance, and emissions of a direct-injection (DI) diesel engine fueled with dimethoxymethane (DMM)/diesel blends, with DMM content ranging from 0 to 50%.
Their results showed that, with no changes to the fuel injection system or modifications to the engine, smoke and CO emissions decrease and NOx remains almost unchanged, while hydrocarbons (HCs) increase. Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is higher (DMM has a smaller lower heating value than diesel), while thermal efficiency increases a little. A diesel engine fueled with a 30% DMM blend can deliver both satisfactory fuel efficiency and emissions levels, they conclude. A report on their study was published online 14 November in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
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BioDME Projects Begins, Chemrec to Build BioDME Plant
September 09, 2008
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| Principal units of Chemrec’s oxygen-blown, pressurized black liquor gasification development plant 1 (DP1) in Piteå, Sweden. Click to enlarge. |
The European project BioDME has begun, with the first project meeting held today at Chemrec’s plant in Piteå, Sweden. The goal of BioDME is to demonstrate production of environmentally optimized synthetic biofuel from lignocellulosic biomass at industrial scale. The final output of this demonstration is dimethyl ether (DME) produced from black liquor via gasification and a final fuel synthesis step.
Project partners include Chemrec; Delphi Diesel Systems; Energy Technology Centre (ETC); Haldor Topsøe; PREEM Petroleum; Total; and the Volvo Group, which is the coordinator for the project.
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Volvo to Field Test 14 Trucks with Third-Generation, 13-Liter DME Engines
July 09, 2008
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| Field trials involving fourteen dimethyl ether (DME)-powered Volvo trucks will begin in the next 18 months. |
Volvo companies Volvo Powertrain, 3P and Volvo Technology will field test 14 trucks equipped with Volvo’s third-generation, 13-liter DME-fueled (dimethyl ether) engines in Sweden beginning in late 2009 to early 2010 as part of a project owned by Volvo Powertrain and funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and the European 7th framework program. (Earlier post.)
The tests are part of a wider €28.5 million (US$45 million) European project which covers the entire technology chain from biomass to fuel and also includes distribution and fuel stations for DME, a fuel produced through the gasification of biomass or raw fossil materials. The gas that is formed, synthesis gas, is then catalyzed to produce DME.
