Efforts to reduce CO2 emissions are wide-ranging. Alternative fuels are one example, and much is being learned from using them. Coupled with promising new technologies, these findings are spurring further innovation. Dr. Markus Kurzwart, R&D Director at MOTOREX, explains why.
Twenty years ago, producing green hydrogen from solar power and CO2 was dismissed as a pipe dream. Today the process is the basis for 100 % renewable, CO2-neutral fuels, albeit still in small quantities. More impressive in quantitative terms are the shares of renewable resources in commercially available fuels. In 2021 these amounted to 9.1 % across Europe and even reached 30 % in Sweden! But what impact do these complex fuel cocktails have on engine oil and the inner workings of combustion engines?
Does adding renewable materials to fuels make sense?
Yes, especially when the overall environmental and economic balance is right. The reduction in CO2 is significant. And fossil resources are conserved that will still be needed in the future for hard-to-replace products.
What forms of renewable energy are being used today?
Biofuels can be classified into three generations: The first consists of plant oil fuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel. These use raw materials that grow back such as oilseeds (rape) and sugar cane. Their significance is waning because – for ethical reasons – arable land should be used mainly for growing food crops and feedstuffs. The second generation uses waste and residual materials from agriculture and forestry such as energy crop residues as well as animal fats. Third-generation biofuels are made from organic materials such as algae and waste materials (straw, sawdust). So-called e-fuels (synthetic fuels) are a further interesting alternative. In the future, hydrogen and CO2 will also play an increasingly important role.
Do you have a favorite fuel?
As with gasoline and diesel fuel from petroleum, renewable fuels are hydrocarbon compounds with additional oxygen content. But new molecules are also being designed that have not yet found large-scale applications. The purity of these fuels, the decomposition products during combustion, and their impacts on engine oil carry both opportunities and risks. Our current focus is on admixtures for existing fossil fuels such as ethanol, B7, B20, or even MTBE (methyl tertbutyl ether) and HVO. HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) is a promising future alternative for diesel engines.
What are the benefits of HVO fuels?
HVO molecules have a few key advantages compared to previous alternative fuels, such as moisture resistance, aging stability, and purity. They could also significantly expand the raw material basis for obtaining HVO. Chemically, HVO is actually quite close to diesel fuel.
Do alternative fuels have effects on engine oil or the engine itself?
It has often been held that the higher the portion of renewable resources in the fuel, the more evident the impacts inside the engine. Combustion residues, thinning of the oil due to fuel contamination, and many other factors can lead to increased acidification of the engine oil. Corrosion, oxidation, or similar reactions can cause problems as engine mileage increases. We track down these influences through intensive in-house R&D activities and in customer projects. Then we cushion potential risks using innovative lubricant compositions.
Does MOTOREX also do work under contract for OEMs?
Yes, our know-how is increasingly in demand. Assessing the effects of alternative fuels on engine oil, engine components, and aging behavior is an ongoing concern. So we develop testing procedures tuned to the OEMs' requirements. These may be used to test a particular material's compatibility with B7, B20, or HVO, for example. This could be a brass axial bearing in a turbo loader or a plastic gasket.
How are the findings used?
The results go to leading end customers and international OEMs and are used in giving approval for those fuels, among other things. MOTOREX works with teams of top interdisciplinary researchers from various OEMs and acts as an advisor. The resulting know-how can be incorporated into engine technologies as well as MOTOREX products. In our latest engine oils, these include features that compensate for the effects of alternative fuels while guaranteeing maximum lubrication and wear reliability over extended periods.