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NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "I2: Energy and Combustion Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 22570

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Dr. Monika Kosowska-Golachowska

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Department of Thermal Machinery, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Czestochowa University of Technology, Armii Krajowej 21, 42-201 Czestochowa, Poland
Interests: combustion; fluidized bed technologies; oxy-fuel combustion; pollutant emissions; biomass; alternative fuels
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Prof. Dr. Tomasz Czakiert

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Department of Advanced Energy Technologies, Faculty of Infrastructure and Environment, Czestochowa University of Technology, Dabrowskiego 73, 42-201 Czestochowa, Poland
Interests: conventional power engineering; advanced energy technologies; fluidized bed technologies; oxy-fuel combustion; chemical looping combustion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, fossil fuels are still the main source of primary energy in power generation, transport, and industry in general. Therefore, issues regarding environmental protection, and in particular air protection, are of great importance, and hence they have become a key part of global policies respected by most developed countries. The current Special Issue of the Energies journal deals with various methods and reduction technologies targeting pollutant emissions, especially NOx, CO₂, and particulate matter, that associate with different fuel combustion processes. Although the topic is focused mainly on conventional hydrocarbon fuels, it is open to biofuels and other alternative fuels as well.

To keep track of the topical achievements made in this field, this Special Issue, entitled NOx, PM, and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes (IF: 3.004), covers original research and studies related to the title topic, including, but not limited to: fundamental research and studies, pilot-plant investigations, operational experiences, new concepts, computer modelling and simulations, as well as techno-economic assessments.

Thereby, we kindly invite you to submit your work to this Special Issue. We look forward to receiving your original research and studies.

Dr. Monika Kosowska-Golachowska
Prof. Dr. Tomasz Czakiert
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

pollutant emissions
emission reduction technologies
NOx, PM and CO₂
CO₂ capture
combustion
co-combustion
oxy-fuel combustion
fossil fuel
biomass
biofuel
alternative fuel
computer modelling and simulations
techno-economic assessments

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Related Special Issue

Emissions of Gaseous Pollutants and Fine Particles from Combustion and Gasification Processes in Energies (2 articles)

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Research

19 pages, 3559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Characterization of Hydrocarbons and Nitrogen Oxides Production in a Heavy-Duty Diesel–Natural Gas Reactivity-Controlled Compression Ignition Engine

by Giacomo Silvagni, Abhinandhan Narayanan, Vittorio Ravaglioli, Kalyan Kumar Srinivasan, Sundar Rajan Krishnan, Nik Collins, Paulius Puzinauskas and Fabrizio Ponti

Energies 2023, 16(13), 5164; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135164 - 4 Jul 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1696

Abstract

Reactivity-Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) combustion is considered one of the most promising Low-Temperature Combustion (LTC) concepts aimed at reducing greenhouse gases for the transportation and power generation sectors. Due to the spontaneous combustion of a lean, nearly homogeneous mixture of air and low-reactivity fuel (LRF), ignited through the direct injection of a small quantity of high-reactivity fuel (HRF), RCCI (dual-fuel) shows higher efficiency and lower pollutants compared to conventional diesel combustion (CDC) if run at very advanced injection timing. Even though a HRF is used, the use of advanced injection timing leads to high ignition delays, compared to CDC, and generates high cycle-to-cycle variability, limited operating range, and high pressure rise rates at high loads. This work presents an experimental analysis performed on a heavy-duty single-cylinder compression ignited engine in dual-fuel diesel–natural gas mode. The objective of the present work is to investigate and highlight the correlations between combustion behavior and pollutant emissions, especially unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Based on the analysis of crank-resolved pollutants measurements performed through fast FID and fast NOx systems under different engine operating conditions, two correlations were found demonstrating a good accordance between pollutant production and combustion behavior: Net Cyclic Hydrocarbon emission—cyclic IMEP variations (R² = 0.86), and Cyclic NOx—maximum value of the Rate of Heat Released (R² = 0.82). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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19 pages, 4575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of a Cu-Ferrite Catalyzed DPF on the Ultrafine Particle Emissions from a Light-Duty Diesel Engine

by Eugenio Meloni, Bruno Rossomando, Gianluigi De Falco, Mariano Sirignano, Ivan Arsie and Vincenzo Palma

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4071; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104071 - 13 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1776

Abstract

The emissions of diesel engines in terms of particulate matter are limited all over the world. One possible solution for reaching the target imposed by the various regulations could be the adoption of a catalytic diesel particulate filter (CDPF). Nevertheless, the effect of CDPFs on the particle size distributions (PSDs) during the regeneration process needs to be deeply investigated. Therefore, this research work is focused on a detailed PSD analysis during the active regeneration of a 30 %wt CuFe₂O₄ loaded CDPF at the exhaust of an L-D diesel engine to reach a more complete understanding of the filter behavior. The results of the experimental tests evidence that at the CDPF outlet, compared to a standard DPF: (i) during the start-up of the regeneration, the particle emissions are three orders of magnitude lower and remain two orders of magnitude lower for particle sizes larger than 50 nm; (ii) the PSDs measured in the time range of 200–450 s exhibit the bimodality observed during the accumulation phase, with a peak that is three orders of magnitude lower; (iii) at the end of the regeneration, the PN distribution exhibits reductions of two and three orders of magnitude for particle sizes of 5 nm and above 50 nm, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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18 pages, 4750 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combustion of Lean Methane/Propane Mixtures with an Active Prechamber Engine in Terms of Various Fuel Distribution

by Ireneusz Pielecha and Filip Szwajca

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3608; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083608 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1743

Abstract

The possibilities for reducing the fuel consumption of internal combustion engines focus mainly on developing combustion systems, as one such solution is a two-stage combustion system using jet ignition. The combustion of gaseous mixtures with a high excess air ratio leads to an increase in overall efficiency and a reduction in the emissions of selected exhaust components. In such a convention, gas combustion studies were conducted in the methane/propane configuration. Using an active prechamber where spark plugs were placed and direct injection through a check valve, the fuel dose was minimized into the prechamber. The tests were conducted for a constant center of combustion (CoC). The combustion process in both the prechamber and main chamber was analyzed using a test stand equipped with a 0.5 dm³ single-cylinder engine. The engine was controlled by varying the fuel supply to the prechamber and main chamber in excess air ratio λ = 1.3–1.8. The study analyzed thermodynamic indices such as the combustion pressure in both chambers, based on which the SoC in both chambers, the rate and amount of heat released, AI05, AI90 and, consequently, the indicated efficiency were determined. Based on the results, it was found that the use of CH₄/C₃H₈ combination degraded the thermodynamic indicators of combustion more than using only the base gas (methane). In addition, the stability of the engine’s operation was decreased. The advantage of using propane for the prechamber is to obtain more beneficial ecological indicators. For the single-fuel system, a maximum indicated efficiency of more than 40% was obtained, while with the use of propane for the prechamber, a maximum of 39.3% was achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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16 pages, 4173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Primary Air Separation in a Grate Furnace on the Resulting Combustion Products

by Michał Kozioł and Joachim Kozioł

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1647; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041647 - 7 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1472

Abstract

When burning fuel in grate furnaces, supplying the right amount of air to them is as important as the method of air supply. In a furnace with a fixed grate, the supply method of primary air is determined by the distribution of the supplied air stream over time, and in a furnace with a movable grate, the said method involves the distribution of the stream along the active length of the grate. The need to account for air distribution is attributable to complex processes that occur during the combustion process. The paper describes experimental studies aimed at determining the influence of the distribution of the supplied primary air on the emission of CO₂, CO, SO₂, NO_x, and on the content of combustible parts in the slag. In all cases, the total amount of primary air supplied to the process as well as other process control parameters was identical, and only the distribution of primary air was different. The paper proposes the use of a generalized function to describe the distribution of air, defined by its total demand and the relative time R that fuel remains on the grate until the maximum air stream is obtained. The quantity R was accepted at the value ranging from 1/6 to 2/3. With the rise of R, the emissions of CO₂, CO, and SO₂ increased by 53%, 125%, and 27%, respectively, and the emissions of NO_x and the share of combustibles in the slag decreased by 12% and 79%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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13 pages, 2090 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Particle Size Distribution and Enrichment of Alkali and Heavy Metals in Fly Ash on Air and Oxy-Fuel Conditions from Sludge Combustion

by Ha-Na Jang, Heung-Min Yoo and Hang Seok Choi

Energies 2023, 16(1), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010145 - 23 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1346

Abstract

Comparative tests in air and oxy-fuel combustion were conducted in a 30 kW_th circulating fluidized bed (CFB) pilot plant for waste sludge combustion. General combustion characteristics of the CFB, such as pressure profiles, temperatures along the bed, and flue gas composition, were different under the air and oxy-fuel conditions. At the bottom and in the fly ash, alkali and heavy metals had different distributions under the air and oxy-fuel combustion conditions. The particle size distribution in fly ash from air combustion was dominated by coarse particles, over 2.5 μm in size, whereas with oxy-fuel combustion, most particles were submicron in size, approximately 0.1 μm, and a smaller quantity of coarse particles, over 2.5 μm in size, formed than with air combustion. Mass fractions of Al, Ca, and K, below 2.5 μm in size, were found in the ashes from oxy-fuel combustion and in higher quantity than those found in air combustion. Submicron particle formation from Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn in the fly ash occurred more during oxy-fuel combustion than it did in air combustion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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17 pages, 7680 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consequence of Blowby Flow and Idling Time on Oil Consumption and Particulate Emissions in Gasoline Engine

by Vincent Berthome, David Chalet and Jean-François Hetet

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8772; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228772 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2505

Abstract

Pollutant emission standards and, in particular, those concerning particles from an internal combustion engine (ICE) are becoming increasingly restrictive. Thus, it is important to determine the main factors related to the production of particulate matter. In this article, the phenomenon of oil sweeping by the blowby gases between the rings/piston/cylinder is investigated. First, a blowby gas simulation model based on experimental results from a Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection (TGDI) is developed. From this model, it is possible to characterise the amount of oil swept by the blowby gases. This depends on the endgap position of both the compression and sealing rings. It also depends on the intensity of the blowby flow rate, which is highest at low rpm and high load. At 1500 rpm and full load, this flowrate exceeds 25 mg.cycle⁻¹. From this result, it is possible to quantify the amount of oil swept by these gases as a function of the endgap position. For

θ_{r i n g s} = 180 °,

the quantity of oil swept rises to 20 µg.cycle⁻¹ while for

θ_{r i n g s} = 30 °,

this decreases to 6 µg.cycle⁻¹. The oil concentration of the blowby gas has a direct impact on the particulate emissions because the oil concentration of the backflow gas is inversely proportional to the blowby gas flowrate. As the backflow gases return to the cylinder, the oil oxidises and produces particles. Therefore, it is essential to control the oil concentration of the backflow gases. In addition, the simulation model shows the blowby flowrate becomes negative and decreases to −3.4 mg. cycle⁻¹ in idle conditions. The amount of oil swept by the blowby is no longer directed towards the oil pan, but towards the piston crown. This phenomenon of oil storage of the piston crown in idle condition is proportional to the duration of the idle time. In order to confirm these results, experimental tests are carried out on a TGDI engine. It appears that when the idling time changes from 0 s to 7 s between two strictly identical accelerations, the level of particulate emissions is multiplied by 1.3. When the idling time changes from 0 s to 22 s between two strictly identical accelerations, the level of particulate emissions is multiplied by 3. These results confirm the mechanism of oil storage at idle highlighted by the simulation model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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13 pages, 1974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Composition of Flue Gases during Oxy-Combustion of Energy Crops in a Circulating Fluidized Bed

by Monika Kosowska-Golachowska, Adam Luckos and Tomasz Czakiert

Energies 2022, 15(19), 6889; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15196889 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1640

Abstract

In recent years, global warming and climate change associated with emissions of CO₂ from fossil fuel-fired power systems are a big worry for authorities in many countries worldwide. The utilization of biomass as an alternative, carbon-neutral fuel can reduce emissions of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases. Furthermore, the coupling of oxy-combustion of biomass with CO₂ capture is an option for carbon-negative power generation technology. In this study, emissions of NO_x, SO₂, and CO from the air- and oxy-combustion of three energy crops (Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and Salix viminalis) are presented and compared with emissions from other biomass fuels and reference coal. Combustion tests in air and O₂/CO₂ mixtures were conducted in a 12-kW bench-scale CFB combustor at 850 °C. Measurements of flue gas compositions were taken using an FTIR spectrometer. In all tested atmospheres, emissions of SO₂, N₂O, and CO for biomass were lower than those for the reference coal. The oxidation of volatile nitrogen compounds was behind high emissions of NO_x from biomass burned in air and O₂/CO₂ mixtures. The lowest concentrations of NO were found in the 21% O₂/70% CO₂ mixture. Combustion in mixtures containing more oxygen (30% and 40% O₂) led to a decrease in emissions of N₂O and CO and an increase in emissions of NO and SO₂. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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17 pages, 3865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Swirling Flame Combustion of Heavy Fuel Oil Blended with Diesel: Effect of Asphaltene Concentration

by Xinyan Pei, Hongyu Tian and William L. Roberts

Energies 2022, 15(17), 6156; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176156 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3064

Abstract

Heavy fuel oil has an energy density content comparable to distillate fuels but a very high viscosity that necessitates extra heating before spray combustion inside a boiler. Heavy fuel oil is also characterized by high asphaltenes, carbon residues, trace metals, such as vanadium and nickel, fuel-bound nitrogen, and sulfur. Asphaltenes are heavy polycyclic aromatic compounds with embedded heteroatoms and significantly affect the physico-chemical properties of heavy fuels; this makes them very difficult to burn and leads to the formation of large cenospheres (lightweight, inert, hollow spheres), due to an inefficient burning process. The primary goal of this study is to experimentally investigate the influence of the asphaltene concentration on the combustion of HFO under a swirling flame, finally reducing gaseous and solid pollution. We tested HFO samples containing asphaltene concentrations of 4, 6, 8, 16, and 24 wt.%, prepared by blending the light oil of diesel and pure asphaltenes with HFO. This work provides quantitative information about the effect of different asphaltene contents on the fuel properties of viscosity, density, heating value, thermogravimetry with air and N₂, and swirling flame combustion characteristics, including the analysis of gaseous and solid particle emissions. The results indicated that the high asphaltene content in the fuel was the critical factor for the high viscosity and incomplete combustion and also increased the density of the fuel sample. Reducing the asphaltene content in HFO improves its spray characteristics and combustion performance and reduces the solid emissions containing sulfur and metal elements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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23 pages, 7921 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pollutant Emissions during Oxy-Fuel Combustion of Biomass in a Bench Scale CFB Combustor

by Monika Kosowska-Golachowska, Adam Luckos and Agnieszka Kijo-Kleczkowska

Energies 2022, 15(3), 706; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15030706 - 19 Jan 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2936

Abstract

Nowadays oxy-fuel combustion of coal and biomass is the most promising option for the reduction of CO₂ emissions from power plants. In this paper, emissions of NO_x (NO, NO₂, N₂O and their precursors, such as NH₃ and HCN), SO₂ and CO during conventional and oxy-fuel combustion of three kinds of biomass (agro, woody and energy crop) and a reference coal are presented and discussed. Combustion tests were conducted at 850 °C in the laboratory-scale circulating fluidized bed (CFB) reactor in air and O₂/CO₂ atmospheres. A FTIR spectrometer was used to measure instantaneous concentrations of all pollutants in the flue gas. Emissions of SO₂, N₂O and CO for the combustion of biomass in all atmospheres were lower than those for the combustion of reference coal. It was found that oxidation of nitrogen species released with volatile matter was responsible for high emissions of NO_x during combustion of biomass fuels in air and mixtures of O₂ and CO₂. The lowest NO emissions for tested fuels were detected in oxy-21 atmosphere (21% O₂/70% CO₂). Oxy-combustion of biomass in O₂/CO₂ mixtures at 30% and 40% O₂ caused a decrease in emissions of N₂O and CO while NO and SO₂ emissions increased. The results of this study show that the tested biomass fuels are ideal renewable energy resources both in conventional and oxy-fuel conditions with a minor potential for environmental pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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18 pages, 6149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical Analysis of the Particulate Matter Emitted from Road Vehicle Engines

by Remigiusz Jasiński, Beata Strzemiecka, Iwona Koltsov, Jan Mizeracki and Paula Kurzawska

Energies 2021, 14(24), 8556; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248556 - 18 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2494

Abstract

Air pollution with particulate matter from transport sources is a serious problem in terms of air quality and its impact on human health. The article attempts to test the emitted particles from piston engines in terms of their physical properties and chemical composition. The research test objects were a diesel engine with Euro 5 emission class and a petrol engine, which was a part of the scooter drive system. The conducted research consisted in the analysis of the number, mass, and volume of particles, as well as chemical analysis, using the methods: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Evolved gas analysis (EGA). The diesel engine emitted particles in the range of 50–120 nm. With the increase in the engine load, the specific emission of particulate matter increased. In the case of a gasoline engine running without load, the emission of particles smaller than 30 nm was mainly observed. Increasing load of the gasoline engine resulted in an increase in both the concentration of particles and their diameter (average diameter to 90 nm). FTIR analysis showed higher black carbon content in the case of the sample taken from the diesel engine. In order to carry out a more detailed chemical analysis, the EGA and SEM methods were used. On their basis, the chemical composition of particles was presented, and a greater ability to agglomerate of a gasoline engine particles was found. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes)

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NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes