DME/OME₁ – Sustainable Fuels for Compression Ignition Engines for Passenger Car and Heavy-Duty Applications

Authors

Dr.-Ing. W. Willems, Ford Werke GmbH, Aachen; Dr.-Ing. J. Weber, Dr.-Ing. O. E. Herrmann, DENSO AUTOMOTIVE Deutschland GmbH, Wegberg; Dipl.-Ing. M. Pannwitz, Dipl.-Ing. G. Lautrich, Dipl.-Ing. T. Tietze, IAV GmbH, Berlin; K. Gaukel MSc, A. Gelner MSc, D. Pelerin MSc, Technical University of Munich; M. Zubel MSc, T. Ottenwälder MSc, Dipl.-Ing. B. Lehrheuer, RWTH Aachen University

Year

2019

Print Info

Fortschritt-Berichte VDI, Reihe 12, Nr. 811

Summary

In the framework of the "New Vehicle and System Technologies" technical programme funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, methyl-ether based fuels (DME/OME₁) were investigated in the "XME Diesel" project in order to study their po-tential of being sustainable fuel replacements for diesel engine applications in passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In studies, which covered research activities from fundamental spray investigations over single- and multi-cylinder testing up to vehicle demonstrators, the new fuels were studied with regard to emission formation, efficiency and compatibility to conventional diesel engine technology. Here, promising findings regarding emission reduction (soot-free combustion and reduction of nitrogen oxides) and increased efficiency could be obtained. For the first time, a heavy-duty OME₁-based full engine was developed in which the emission-reducing potential of methyl ethers could be demonstrated. For the passenger car related investigations, which primarily were carried out with DME, significant improve-ments with regard to emission behavior could be observed as well. In engine tests and vehicle studies without adaptation of the serial Diesel engine combustion system and air path, sootless combustion could be observed at lower NO_x and comparable CO₂-levels as the Diesel baseline. Concluding single cylinder investigations with an optimized DME combustion system showed significant efficiency improvements, which even in operation with diesel fuel and adapted injection strategy allow a limp-home operation with a limited penalty in soot emissions.