The assessment of the possibilities for the Lithuanian fleet to comply with new environmental requirements

The article analyses the economic impact of compliance of the Lithuanian fleet with the new requirements of the MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI, which sets a limit for sulphur content in marine fuel to 0.1% in 2015 in Emission Control Area (ECA) and to 0.5% in 2020 globally. The assessment of several most realistic options of complying with the new requirements is presented in the article. Each of these methods is assessed by means of uncovering the economic and practical issues associated with applying their implementation to the Lithuanian fleet. An overview of Lithuanian fleet was carried out to choose the particular vessels for analysis. A group of 10 vessels was selected to compare the benefits and limitations of using low sulphur fuel and scrubbers. The economic impact of using low sulphur fuel or installing the scrubber for each vessel is also assessed in the article

Research into the application of biodiesel in the transport sector of Lithuania

The material of this publication presents the results of a complex research into the application of standard rapseed methyl ester (RME) and new types of biodiesels produced from waste of vegetable oil and animal fat in the transport sector of Lithuania. The analytical analysis of physical, chemical and thermodynamical properties of biodiesels is performed and its results are evualated during the formation of tasks of experimental motor tests and research into mathematical modelling. Their influence for the paramaters of a working process and exploiting characteristics such as power, fuel economy, reliability and harmful emission of gases is evaluated. First Published Online: 27 Oct 201

Research of characteristics of working cycle of high-speed diesel engine operating on biofuels RME–E and D–RME–E. Part 1. Indicators of fuel injection system and indicative process

The article provides the results of an analyses of the characteristics of fuel injection system as well as the processes indicated in diesel engines 1A41 and F2L511, transferred from working with mineral diesel to working with rapeseed methyl ester–ethanol (RME–E) and mineral diesel fuel–rapeseed methyl ester–ethanol (D–RME–E). In biofuel, ethanol takes a part of 10÷40%. It was found that the E part in the fuel causes a lag of fuel injection of 2÷6 CA (greater values of fuel injection lag are common for partial engine loads and greater amount of E in fuel) that does not occur with mineral diesel fuel or RME. The analysis shows how a lag of fuel ignition limits the dynamic parameters (P max, (d p/d ϕ)max) of the cycle and specific emission of nitric oxides (eNOx) in exhaust gas. It is possible to convert diesel engines, operating on D to ethanol-containing biofuels without adjusting the fuel injection system parameters. At the same time, it is necessary to increase residual pressure in high-pressure fuel line of diesel engines with fuel injection pressure of 60÷70 MPa

The assessment algorithm of technological feasibility of SOx scrubber installation

The problematics of installation of sulphur oxides (SOx) scrubber becomes much relevant for today due to the new Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78 requirements, which sets 0.1% SOx limits by 2015 in Emission Control Area (ECA) and globally to 0.5% in 2020. The research in this field becomes more significant for ship-owners. SOx scrubber is most promising alternative because of lower operating costs and suitability to existing ships. Despite the fact that exhausts gas scrubbing is a common and proven technology on land, the conditions on ships differ significantly and still there are not enough practical knowledge of installation of mentioned equipment. In addition, speaking about existing ships there are some limitation factors of SOx scrubber installation on-board, which will be discussed in the paper. Taking into account the size and mass of the SOx scrubber, it can be assumed that the recalculation of ship stability will be required for most ships. Therefore, the most important task for equipment designers is selection of scrubber system location with the minimum impact on ship stability and identification of necessary changes (deadweight, additional space, etc.) in accordance with ship safety requirements. For this reason, the research was carried-out in order to create the algorithm of ship stability assessment and selection of optimal scrubber location on-board. First published online 29 March 2016

Mathematical Modelling of Diesel Engine Operational Performance Parameters in Transient Modes

This study presents innovative methods for solving practical challenges that occur during the operation of heavy diesel engines (DEs). The novelty of the method arises from the combined use of an artificial neural network, a single-zone DE combustion mathematical model, and data from real operation conditions. Using the proposed method, DE transient mode energy efficiency has been analysed, and the primary influencing factors have been identified: qcycl and dqcycl/dt. The adequacy of the method has been tested for CAT3512B-HD series engines installed on freight locomotives. The difference between the model results and experimental data has been 3–4%. CAT3512B-HD series DE transient operation studies have shown that at the low-load range of qcycl (up to 36% of nominal), the fuel consumption during transient operation increases by 10% compared to steady state operation. Transient operation efficiency is not influenced by the operation rate (dqcycl/dt) in the analysed -0.016 to 0.016 g/s range. Near the nominal power (qcycl increases up to 0.5 g/cycle), it is necessary to limit the dqcycl/dt range to 0.006 g/s to avoid overexploitation of the fuel by more than 100%. The proposed method has been recommended for practical use in optimizing vehicle operation load cycle structure by adapting the engine control to the concrete operation conditions, as well as for overall efficiency improvement

Comparative investigations into energetic and ecological parameters of camelina-based biofuel used in the 1Z diesel engine

The paper presents the findings of comparative investigations into the operation of Audi 80 1.9l 4 cylinder diesel engine, TDI, type 1Z, 66 kW powered by new FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) mixtures of spring (SCME) and winter (WCME) camelina-based biofuel and mineral diesel. The article assesses the principles of operating electronic control over the diesel engine (ECS) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and looks at a positive impact of the system on energetic (be, ηe) and ecological (CH, NOx, CO2, SM) parameters. The ECS of the average and maximal power of the engine improve in-cylinder air injection that has an impact on an increase in ηe by approximately 30% and reduces the emission of the harmful components from incomplete combustion. It is accepted that in case diesel fuel is replaced by FAME biofuels (RME – rapeseed methyl ester; SCME – spring camelina methyl ester; WCME – winter camelina methyl ester), ECS control parameters shall not be retrofitted or additionally optimized. The properties of camelina-based biofuel mixtures B30 (SCME) and B30 (WCME) and diesel fuel are similar to the properties of the standard mixtures of RME biofuel B30 (RME). If compared to diesel fuel, the use of camelina-based biofuel mixtures B30 (SCME) and B30 (WCME) enables lower emissions of harmful components from exhaust gases, which makes approximately 15% of CH and 20÷25% of SM

Research of energy efficiency and reduction of environmental pollution in freight rail transportation

The publication presents the results arising from the experimental and mathematical modelling studies, which mainly aimed to investigate the selection and optimization of the rational operation modes particular to diesel engines of freight locomotives in the possession of the JSC ‘Lithuanian Railways’ (AB ‘Lietuvos geležinkeliai’). The goal of the optimization is to increase the energy efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and emissions of harmful air pollutants to the environment from diesel engines of locomotives during freight transportation via the main lines of the Lithuanian railway network. A complex energy efficiency and environmental pollution assessment criterion KE–E adjusted for diesel engines of freight locomotives has been suggested. The use of KE–E on the basis of the conducted complex experimental mathematical computer modelling studies has determined that the reserves reducing fuel consumption, harmful emissions and greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions constitute 6÷15% on an average, and in the case of individual railway network lines they go up to 30%. The comparative emission of harmful components per fuel mass (NOx, CO, CH, PM) e´NOx, e´CO, e´CH, e´PM when carrying freight via the main lines of the railway network by trains weighing 3000÷7500 t has been singled out. The results constitute sufficient grounds to organise control of harmful emissions and provide an opportunity to solve practical tasks with a slight tolerance (3÷7%) taking account of diesel engines of locomotives used for transportation. It has been proposed to measure the freight transportation efficiency according to the complex criterion KE–E, indicates the energy efficiency and the assessment of environmental pollution originating from diesel engine of locomotives. The reserves for increasing the efficiency of energy usage have been studied according to the variational mathematical computer modelling data. A methodology for measuring the freight transportation rationality and estimating the optimal indicators has been proposed, using the values of the KE–E criterion for the railways freight transportation, as well as the technology for controlling the traction characteristics as well as energy and ecology indicators of diesel engines of locomotives in operational conditions. First published online: 20 Oct 201

Research of characteristics of working cycle of high-speed diesel engine operating on biofuels RME–E and D–RME–E. Part 2. Indicators and characteristics of heat release in diesel cylinder

This paper presents material about using two-component RME–E and three-component D–RME–E biodiesels in high-speed diesel engines. The results of the analysis of fuel injection parameters described in Part I of this scientific paper – Research of characteristics of working cycle of high-speed diesel engine operating on biofuels RME–E and D–RME–E. Part 1. Indicators of fuel injection system and indicative process – allow conducting a coherent research of heat release in the cylinder of diesel engines transferred from operation on mineral diesel D to mixed biodiesels containing E. Effects of increased ethanol E in the biodiesel of 1A41 diesel engine have been analysed in a wide range of loads, ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 Penom. It was found that the result of the transfer from two-phase heat release to one-phase heat release is an increase in the fuel's economy of the engine for every 10% increase of E in the fuel (increase of indicative process efficiency makes up 0.4÷0.5%). Dependency of heat release and nitrogen oxide emissions in the exhaust gases remains the same for mineral diesel, RME–E and D–RME–E. Indicators of cyclic stability of the diesel engine, operating on biodiesels containing E ≤ 30%, did not exceed those that are common for diesel engines operating on mineral diesel

Analysis of the ecological parameters of the diesel engine powered with biodiesel fuel containing methyl esters from Camelina sativa Oil

The article explores the possibilities of using fatty acid methyl esters derived from the oil of a new species of oily plant Camelina sativa not demanding on soil. The performed research on the physical and chemical properties of pure methyl esters from Camelina sativa show that biofuels do not meet requirements for the biodiesel fuel standard (LST EN 14214:2009) of a high iodine value and high content of linoleic acid methyl ester, so they must be mixed with methyl esters produced from pork lard the content of which in the mixture must be not less than 32%. This article presents the results of tests on combustion emission obtained when three‐cylinder diesel engine VALMET 320 DMG was fuelled with a mixture containing 30% of this new kind of fuel with fossil diesel fuel comparing with emissions obtained when the engine was fuelled with a fuel mixture containing 30% of conventional biodiesel fuel (rapeseed oil methyl esters) with fossil diesel fuel. The obtained results show that using both types of fuel, no significant differences in CO and NOx concentrations were observed throughout the tested load range. When operating on fuels containing methyl esters from Camelina sativa, HC emissions decreased by 10 to 12% and the smokeness of exhaust gas by 12 to 25%. First published online: 27 Oct 201