Dual Fuel Engine Performance Using Biogas and Diesel
Summary
Dual fuel operation combining biogas and diesel offers a pathway to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and enhance energy security without extensive engine redesign. In this mode, biogas—typically a methane–carbon dioxide mixture—is inducted into the intake manifold and forms the bulk of the energy charge, while a small proportion of diesel serves as the pilot fuel to initiate combustion. The resulting ignition process retains the high compression-ignition characteristics of diesel engines while leveraging the renewable nature of biogas. Performance metrics such as brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) are influenced by the biogas energy share, its methane content and operational parameters including intake temperature and injection timing. Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter generally decrease under optimised dual fuel regimes, although trade-offs arise in CO and HC formation at high biogas substitution. Practical applications span stationary power generation in agricultural and waste-management settings to auxiliary power units, highlighting global relevance for decarbonisation and circular-economy objectives.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Dual Fuel Engine Performance Using Biogas and Diesel publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in dual fuel engine performance using biogas and diesel across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Brake thermal efficiency (BTE): The ratio of the useful power output to the chemical energy input of the fuel, expressed as a percentage.
Brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC): The mass or energy of fuel consumed per unit of brake power output over time, indicating fuel economy.
Dual fuel mode: An engine operating condition where two different fuels are used simultaneously, one as a primary energy source and one as an ignition pilot.
Intake methane enrichment: The process of increasing the methane concentration in biogas to improve calorific value and combustion characteristics.
Ignition delay: The interval between start of fuel injection and onset of combustion, affecting heat-release rate and emissions.
References
- A Comprehensive Study of the Effects of Various Operating Parameters on a Biogas-Diesel Dual Fuel Engine. Sustainability (2023).
- Investigation of the Performance and Emission Characteristics of Diesel Engine Fueled with Biogas-Diesel Dual Fuel. Fuels (2022).
- ANN Prediction of Performance and Emissions of CI Engine Using Biogas Flow Variation. Energies (2021).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.