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Adding oxygenates to diesel fuel has shown the potential for reducing particulate (PM) emissions in the exhaust. The objective of this study was to select the most promising oxygenate compounds as blending components in diesel fuel for advanced engine testing. A fuel matrix was designed to consider the effect of molecular structure and boiling point on the ability of oxygenates to reduce engine-out exhaust emissions from a modern diesel engine. Nine test fuels including a low-sulfur (∼1 ppm), low-aromatic hydrocracked base fuel and 8 oxygenate-base fuel blends were utilized. All oxygenated fuels were formulated to contain 7% wt. of oxygen. A DaimlerChrysler OM611 CIDI engine for light-duty vehicles was controlled with a SwRI Rapid Prototyping Electronic Control System. The base fuel was evaluated in four speed-load modes and oxygenated blends only in one mode. Each operating mode and fuel combination was run in triplicate.

Alternative fuels providing diesel engine emission reductions are developed in order to provide practical solutions to environmental problems in different areas of the world. Diesel fuel emulsions containing water, considered as alternative fuels, have shown their potential to help reaching simultaneous reduction of NOx and PM exhaust emissions. In this study, diesel fuel microemulsions have been developed and optimized considering their cost-effectiveness. Water is incorporated into the fuel in the form of micelle structures, mostly using naturally derived surfactants. The finished fuel is visually transparent and thermodynamically stable over a wide range of storage and handling conditions. Experimental work was conducted to explore the impact of water in diesel fuel microemulsions on CIDI engine performance, regulated and non-regulated exhaust emissions.