I have had the privilege to work closely with Dr. Bob McCormick and his group over the last decade. In this presentation I will describe a few of these collaborations, which emphasize the relationships between fuel properties and their performance and potential to form particulate matter (PM) emissions including: (1) the role of evaporation on PM emissions in DISI engines with ethanol containing fuels; (2) property tailored polyoxymethylene ethers (POME) fuels with favorable properties and soot reduction potential; and (3) the role of atomization/evaporation processes on jet fuel flame stability and PM formation. Renewable ethanol provides an excellent opportunity to reduce the carbon intensity of the light and medium duty sectors while electrification transition is underway. From a chemical kinetic standpoint, the dilution of the aromatic species in gasoline by blending ethanol should reduce PM. However, increased evaporative cooling and ethanol’s effect on the liquid fuel composition evolution can drive up PM emissions. This study examined these interactions stemming from the ethanol and the consequent impacts on particle emissions from a single-cylinder, gasoline direct injection engine. Bio-derived methyl terminated POMEs have been shown to be viable sustainable diesel fuel blendstocks, however, these molecules do exhibit undesired physicochemical properties such as reduced lower heating values, low flash point and high-water solubility. Based on structure-activity models, many of these properties can be improved by replacing the terminating methyl end group with larger alkyl structures. Here we will describe the synthesis of a novel group of polyoxymethylene ethers with larger alkyl end-groups and highlight the improvement in fuel properties such as Yield Sooting Indices (YSI), water solubility, calorific values, and cetane number of the synthesized POMEs. Finally, using a laboratory spray burner a parametric study was conducted where soot volume fraction and flame blow out limits were measured with a range of jet fuel formulations spanning allowable physical and chemical jet fuel specifications. It was noticed that conditions/fuels leading to larger droplets generally lead to more stable flames at the expense of higher soot formation. Chemical behaviors (e.g., two phase flame speed and YSI) also play a role but are generally secondary to the impacts of the spray/phase change phenomena.

Fuel properties and their impacts on performance and particulate matter emissions: Applications to direct injection spark ignition engines, mixing controlled compression engines, and jet fuel formulations

ACS Spring 2022

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