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Due to the limited energy resources as well as due to increasing CO2-emissions the importance of alternative- and biogene fuels increases continuously. Investigations of the engine operation were performed on a latest technology Liebherr engine for construction machines, which was operated using crude rapseed oil (ROR), rapseed methyl ester (RME) and synthetic Gas-To-Liquid fuel (GTL) without any change of ECU setting. On this occasion the combustion diagnostics, behaviour of the injection system and the pollutant emissions, including the unlimited nano-particles were especially assessed. For injection (with this unit pumps system) it can be stated, that ROR and a little bit less RME shorten the injection lag and increase the maximum injection pressure. At higher engine load this causes the 50% heat release a little earlier (1-2°CA) and as consequence higher NOx and lower specific energy consumption.

1 Switzerland is enforcing the use of particulate traps for offroad applications like construction as well as for occupational health applications like tunneling. This decision is based on the results of the VERT-project (1994-1999), which included basic aerosol research, bench screening and field testing of promising solutions as well as the development of implementation tools like trap specification, certification scheems and field control measures. On the other hand there is no corresponding regulation for city-buses yet although PM 10 is about 2× above limit in most Swiss cities. Public pressure however is growing and city transport authorities have reacted by retrofitting Diesel city-buses instead of waiting for cleaner engine technology or CNG-conversions. The favored trap system with about 200 retrofits so far is the CRT.