Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil in Diesel Engine Performance and Emissions
Summary
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a paraffinic renewable diesel produced by hydrogenation of vegetable oils or animal fats. Its chemical composition—characterised by low aromatic and high paraffinic content—offers combustion advantages over conventional petroleum diesel. In modern compression-ignition engines, HVO demonstrates enhanced ignition quality, increased cetane number and superior oxidative stability. These properties translate into measurable benefits: reductions in particulate matter and hydrocarbons, often accompanied by lower carbon monoxide emissions. However, its impact on nitrogen oxides (NOx) can vary with engine calibration and operating conditions. Optimisation of fuel injection timing, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate and boost pressure is essential to exploit HVO’s full potential. Globally, HVO can be blended in varying proportions with mineral diesel without major hardware modifications, supporting decarbonisation targets in transport and compatibility with existing infrastructure.
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Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil in Diesel Engine Performance and Emissions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in hydrotreated vegetable oil in diesel engine performance and emissions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO): A paraffinic renewable diesel fuel produced via catalytic hydrogenation of vegetable oils or animal fats, characterised by high cetane number and low aromatic content.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR): An emissions control technique that reroutes a portion of exhaust gases back into the intake air to lower combustion temperatures and reduce NOx formation.
Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE): The ratio of mechanical output power at the crankshaft to the chemical energy input of the fuel, indicating overall engine efficiency.
Particulate Matter (PM): Solid and liquid particles emitted from combustion, measured by mass or number, with significant health and environmental impacts.
New European Driving Cycle (NEDC): A standardised laboratory test protocol used to assess vehicle emissions and fuel consumption under simulated urban and extra-urban driving conditions.
References
- Evaluation of a Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Effects on Emissions of a Passenger Car Diesel Engine. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering (2018).
- Partially premixed combustion of hydrotreated vegetable oil in a diesel engine: Sensitivity to boost and exhaust gas recirculation. Fuel (2022).
- Exhaust emissions from diesel engines fueled by different blends with the addition of nanomodifiers and hydrotreated vegetable oil HVO. Environmental Pollution (2019).
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