Combustion Performance of Diesel Fuel Blends

The combustion of diesel fuel blends has garnered significant attention as a means to reconcile the high energy density and established infrastructure of conventional diesel with the environmental imperatives of reducing greenhouse gases and pollutant emissions. Blending diesel with renewable oxygenated co-fuels—such as alcohols (n-butanol, ethanol, propylene glycol) or hydrogen-derived carriers—alters key combustion parameters including ignition delay, heat release rate, peak cylinder pressure and exhaust composition. Alcohol blending typically prolongs ignition delay, shortens overall combustion duration and raises premixed burn fractions, leading to reduced particulate matter but often elevated NOx emissions unless mitigated by combustion optimisation. Dual-fuel modes with hydrogen, ammonia or methane can influence low-temperature autoignition characteristics, revealing trade-offs between cool-flame activity, main ignition timing and radical pool competition. Advances in injection strategies and engine calibration have enabled stable operation with high co-fuel shares, achieving thermal efficiencies comparable to or exceeding those of neat diesel while significantly lowering soot and CO2 footprints. This research domain is critical for sectors where full electrification remains challenging, offering practical pathways to decarbonise heavy transport and stationary engines through scalable and adaptable fuel blend solutions.

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Combustion Performance of Diesel Fuel Blends publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in combustion performance of diesel fuel blends across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ignition delay: Interval between start of fuel injection and onset of rapid combustion, determining premixed burn fraction and emissions.

Heat release rate (HRR): Speed at which the fuel’s chemical energy is released in the combustion chamber, reflecting combustion phasing and intensity.

Premixed burn fraction: Portion of fuel burned during the rapid combustion phase prior to diffusion-controlled burning, affecting peak pressure and soot formation.

Dual-fuel combustion: Operation involving co-injection or premixing of diesel with a secondary fuel to modify ignition timing, stability and emissions.

Cycle-to-cycle variation (COV): Fluctuations in key combustion metrics between successive engine cycles, influencing operational stability and efficiency.

References

1. Combustion Stability, Performance and Emission Characteristics of a CI Engine Fueled with Diesel/n-Butanol Blends. Energies (2021).
2. Evaluation of Combustion Stability and Exhaust Emissions of a Stationary Compression Ignition Engine Powered by Diesel/n-Butanol and RME Biodiesel/n-Butanol Blends. Energies (2023).
3. Low temperature autoignition of diesel fuel under dual operation with hydrogen and hydrogen-carriers. Energy Conversion and Management (2022).
4. Progress in the Use of Biobutanol Blends in Diesel Engines. Energies (2021).