Topsoe and the Danish Technological Institute have received 1 million EUR from the Danish Energy Agency for a project aiming to turn bioethanol into an economic and sustainable replacement of fossil fuels for diesel vehicles.
The funding is part of the “Energy Development and Demonstration Programme” aimed at the development and demonstration of energy technologies.
From bioethanol to diethyl ether
Diesel engines cannot run on bioethanol, because the cetane number is too low, meaning that the motor cannot start. The project goal is to uncover how bioethanol can be converted into diethyl ether using a catalytic process: The diethyl ether may subsequently be applied as diesel fuel.
“We expect to draw on our experience from diesel catalysis as well as industrial production of dimethyl ether,” says Pär Gabrielsson, Project Manager in Topsoe’s Research and Development.
Sustainable fuel
”Topsoe sees great potential in the project, which will make bioethanol applicable for diesel vehicles – this will be of great importance to the environment. We are pleased that the Danish Energy Agency has allocated funds for the project,” says Claus Hviid Christensen, Project Director in Topsoe’s Research and Development. He continues: ”We also look forward to collaborating with Danish Technological Institute.”
Diethyl ether – great potential
Topsoe sees the technology as an important step towards more sustainable transport:
- combustion of bioethanol in a diesel engines increases fuel efficiency with 30-40% compared to an engine running on gasoline
- the technology reduces the production cost of biofuels for diesel engines
- an engine running on diethyl ether is expected to have much lower emissions
Contact
Claus Hviid Christensen, Project Director, Research and Development
tel. +45 4527 2549, mobile +45 2275 4549, e-mail: chc@topsoe.dk