Alternative fuels – trends and prospects

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Department of Civil Defenseand computer modeling of ecogeophysical processes Lviv State University of Life Safety

Department of Civil Security Lviv Polytechnic National University

Alternative fuels - trends and prospects

O. Babadzhanova Dr. Ph, Associate Professor, Associate Professor

V. Vasiichuk Dr. Ph, Associate Professor, Associate Professor

V. Loik Dr. Ph, Associate Professor, Associate Professor

O. Synelnikov Dr. Ph, Associate Professor, Associate Professor

Ukraine

Summary

Aspects of the use of different types of alternative fuels that will ensure economic stability and reduce the harmful effects on the environment are considered. More than a dozen alternative fuels are in production or under development for use in alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles. Government and private-sector vehicle fleets are the primary users for most of these fuels and vehicles, but individual consumers are increasingly interested in them. Using alternative fuels and advanced vehicles instead of conventional fuels and vehicles helps conserve fuel and lower vehicle emissions. The world is preparing to shift to a new version of the future that releases us from a reliance on fossil fuels for transportation. Most passenger cars will switch to using batteries and electric motors.

Keywords: alternative fuels, emissions, fuel cell electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered cars

Introduction

It is already clear that the 21st century will be the end of the oil era. The decline in oil production in some countries is already observed today. All this is the root cause of the increase in the cost of petroleum products and, as a consequence, imposes certain restrictions on the development of individual economies and the world economy as a whole. This fact, given the fact that 80% of the mechanical energy used in human activities is produced by internal combustion engines, makes today seriously think about an alternative source of energy, not oil.

Recently, a large number of foreign research centers of engine companies are conducting research aimed at saving fuel and replacing traditional liquid hydrocarbon fuels with new ones.

The growing interest in alternative fuels for cars and trucks is due to three important considerations: alternative fuels tend to produce fewer emissions that exacerbate air pollution and global warming; most alternative fuels are produced from inexhaustible reserves; the use of alternative fuels allows any state to increase energy independence and security.

Russia's war in Ukraine, its oil and gas blackmail, have clearly demonstrated the importance of energy security.

The global trend towards increasing prices for hydrocarbon fuels is pushing consumers to look for cheaper alternative energy sources.

European emission standards determine acceptable emission levels for new cars sold in the Member States of the European Union. In order to limit the pollution caused by road motor vehicles, general requirements for emission standards from cars and certain spare parts (Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards) have been introduced. The European Union has developed new emission standards for internal combustion engines - Euro 7, they will be five to ten times tougher than Euro 6.

Emission standards for passenger cars will be 95 g/km CO2. In 2018, the average CO2 emissions of new cars were 120 g/km. That is, now the "average" new car needs to be made more economical by 21%. Which means a faster transition to new models using alternative fuels.

The rapid growth of the motor transport fleet has led to unacceptable levels of air pollution. In large cities, car exhaust gases account for up to 60-80% of all toxic emissions into the atmosphere, and even with the use of modern technologies, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve a significant reduction in emissions from gasoline or diesel engines. The replacement of diesel and gasoline fuels with alternative fuels can play an important role in reducing emissions.

The energy of the future must have an ecological and economic direction and solve the problem of risk minimization, climate protection, and sustainable development [1]. It is the environmental indicators that have become one of the reasons for the large-scale transition of vehicles to LNG in Western Europe and the North American continent, large metropolitan cities. In the world, about 2 million vehicles run on CNG. Interesting/ The experience of Egypt is interesting, where over the past 10 years, starting almost from zero, the number of cars running on CNG has been increased to 32 thousand, as a result of which Egypt took 9th place among 49 countries that have implemented a “clean air” program [1].

The main factor of anthropogenic impact on the environment is the use of fuels produced from the components of fossil raw materials, which leads to an imbalance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The degree of ecological "purity" of any fuel is manifested not only at the combustion stage. It is also determined by the specific technology of its preparation, the nature and method of preparation and processing of raw materials. Among alternative fuels for internal combustion engines with a positive environmental effect, three groups are distinguished: gaseous mineral fuels and biofuels, liquid biofuels, and synthetic liquid biofuels. In the future, a special place in this direction is given to hydrogen as an “absolutely clean” fuel [2,3].

The authors of [4] argue that it is necessary to highlight the fundamental possibility of obtaining artificial liquid fuel from underground coal gasification gas, which can be synthesized, in particular, by the method of catalytic conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The use of gas is also associated with the release of hydrogen (its content in the product gas is 20-25%). This is a universal product, the consumption of which will increase radically in the near future.

Many leading aircraft manufacturing companies in different countries have begun developments to provide aviation with a new type of fuel. Under consideration alternative to kerosene: biofuels, synthetic oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen [5].

Natural gas is the least hazardous motor fuel in terms of fire and explosion risks. Accumulations of gasoline storage containers create a fire hazard. Natural gas is almost twice as light as air and, unlike gasoline, "disperses" into the atmosphere when it leaks. The high temperature and limited concentration range of autoignition greatly reduces the chance of accidental ignition or explosion of natural gas [6,7]. alternative fuels economic vehicle

As a rule, gas cylinders are installed in the least vulnerable and statistically unlikely places for damage to the car. Based on actual data, BMW has calculated the probability of damage and structural failure of the car body [6]. The results of calculations indicate that the probability of destruction of the car body in the area where gas cylinders are located is only 1 -5% (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. The probability of damage to the car body

Natural gas plays the role of an optimal transition link to transport systems based on hydrogen fuel cells.

Getting hydrogen at local stations from natural gas and storing hydrogen on board cars is the most optimal solution in terms of energy, ecology and costs.

In addition, given the multilateral synergies between the natural gas vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, today's growing market for the natural gas vehicles will fuel tomorrow's growth in hydrogen vehicle production.

European emission standards determine acceptable emission levels for new cars sold in the Member States of the European Union. In order to limit the pollution caused by road motor vehicles, general requirements for emission standards from cars and certain spare parts (Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards) have been introduced. The European Union has developed new emission standards for internal combustion engines - Euro 7, they will be five to ten times tougher than Euro 6. Emission standards for passenger cars will be 95 g/km CO2. In 2018, the average CO2 emissions of new cars were 120 g/km. That is, now the "average" new car needs to be made more economical by 21%. Which means a faster transition to new models using alternative fuels [8,9].

As you know, modern transport uses internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric motors (ED). At the same time, there is a growing activity of leading automakers in the development of electric vehicles and hybrid models, which use both types of drive units. Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are powered by an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors that uses energy stored in a battery. The vehicle is fueled with gasoline to operate the internal combustion engine, and the battery is charged through regenerative braking, not by plugging in.

The leaders in creating hybrid cars are the Japanese. Toyota, having tested its HybridSynergyDrive system on a ToyotaPrius in 1997, which allows you to flexibly manage the joint work of engines, is now successfully using it on the expensive Lexus RX400h, Lexus GS450h. Honda is also trying to keep up, offering customers hybrid versions of Hondalnsight, Civic and Accord for a long time [10]. Diesel engines can also be environmentally friendly, proven by the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid Audi Q7 e-tronQattro. The Infiniti M 35 h was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's fastest hybrid [10].

All-electric vehicles, also called battery electric vehicles (BEVs), have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.Because it runs on electricity, the car does not emit exhaust fumes and does not contain typical liquid fuel components such as a fuel pump, fuel line or fuel tank. All-electric vehicles, also called battery electric vehicles, have a battery that is charged by plugging the vehicle in to charging equipment.

Lithium-ion battery production for electric cars is very energy-intensive, with Lithium mining emitting several tonnes of CO2. If you take this into account along with charging the battery from anything other than a zero-emission source throughout its lifetime, an electric car still contributes towards a certain amount of CO2 emission, even if this does not originate from an exhaust. The production of electric cars releases 63% more carbon dioxide than the production of gasoline or diesel cars [11,12].

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) run on hydrogen. They are more efficient than cars with internal combustion engines and do not emit exhaust gases - they emit only water vapor and warm air. FCEVs are fueled with pure hydrogen gas stored in a tank on the vehicle. FCEVs use a propulsion system similar to that of electric vehicles, where energy stored as hydrogen is converted to electricity by the fuel cell. Unlike conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, these vehicles produce no harmful tailpipe emissions. Other benefits include increasing of countries energy resiliency through diversity and strengthening the economy.

The environmental and health benefits are also seen at the source of hydrogen production if derived from low- or zero-emission sources, such as solar, wind, and nuclear energy and fossil fuels with advanced emission controls and carbon sequestration. Because the transportation sector accounts for about one-third, carbon dioxide emissions, using these sources to produce hydrogen can cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Hydrogen is set to play a major role in the energy system but so far represents only a modest fraction of the energy mix and the majority of it is produced from fossil fuels.

Many experts agree "green" hydrogen produced using renewable energy can play a key role in helping us achieve a greenhouse gas-neutral economy by 2050, the level needed to stave off the worst effects of the climate crisis. Green hydrogen's best use may be in hard-to-electrify sectors, like long-distance transportation. Hydrogen generally has properties that make it safer to handle than conventional fuels. Green hydrogen,being produced in only small amounts today,has the potential to replace fossil fuels in emissions-heavy vehicles like trucks, ships, and planes, and in industrial processes like the production of steel and chemicals. It can help achieve a 100 percent renewable energy electricity sector by allowing to store power for long periods of time.

To evaluate hydrogen's safety, it must be compared to that of other conventional fuels like gasoline, propane, and diesel. While no fuel is 100 percent safe, green hydrogen has been shown to be safer than conventional fuels in a multitude of aspects.

Hydrogen is not toxic, unlike conventional fuels. On the other hand, many conventional fuels are toxic or contain toxic substances, including powerful carcinogens. Moreover, when it comes to vehicles that run on hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen produces only water, while vehicle combustion of conventional fuels generates harmful air pollution. A hydrogen leak or spill will not contaminate the environment or threaten the health of humans or wildlife, but fossil fuels can pose significant health and ecological threats when leaked, spilled, or combusted.

Hydrogen is 14 times lighter than air and 57 times lighter than gasoline vapor. This means that when released, hydrogen will typically rise and disperse rapidly, greatly reducing the risk of ignition at ground level. However, propane and gasoline vapor are heavier than air, making it more likely that they will remain at ground level, increasing the risk of fires harming people and buildings.

Hydrogen has a lower radiant heat than conventional gasoline, meaning the air around the flame of hydrogen is not as hot as around a gasoline flame. Therefore, the risk of hydrogen secondary fires is lower.

Hydrogen has a higher oxygen requirement for explosion than fossil fuels. Hydrogen can be explosive with oxygen concentrations between 18 and 59 percent while gasoline can be explosive at oxygen concentrations between 1 and 3 percent. This means that gasoline has greater risk for explosion than hydrogen for any given environment with oxygen.

Around the world, the hydrogen theme is now at the peak of popularity. By 2030, 100,000 hydrogen trucks will be on the road - a real program supported by 62 companies producing cars, components and hydrogen fuel cells. These vehicles will be refueled at 1,500 hydrogen filling stations built at the time. And such a plan was approved by the EU Transport Commission. Bosch, one of the world's leading automotive components manufacturers, is set to begin testing its hydrogen- powered powerplant. Its production will begin in 2022-2023.

Even the world-famous motorcycle manufacturer Cummins, which supplied its engines to the hemisphere, switched to hydrogen. Here they rely on the production of installations for the extraction of hydrogen from water by electrolysis in places of active consumption and further use of this fuel by vehicles. A Class 8 truck with hydrogen fuel cells is also being developed (Fig.2).

Fig. 2. A Class 8 truck with hydrogen fuel cells

The possibility of using hydrogen in construction equipment is already being studied. JCB has begun testing the world's first hydrogen-powered excavator.

Another problem with hydrogen transport is the lack of infrastructure for refueling. For example, in California, which is now the only state in the United States with a network of hydrogen filling stations, there are only 40. While there are 21,000 stations for charging electric vehicles. Instead, unlike electric cars, hydrogen cars can be refueled as quickly as gasoline cars. For example, the 2019 Hyundai Nexo has a range of 612 km and a refueling time of about 5 minutes. Hydrogen-powered cars are not expected to replace electric cars. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is designed to supplement clean electricity, and for good reason: it's the cleanest fuel possible. Hydrogen is set to play a major role in the energy system but so far represents only a modest fraction of the energy mix and the majority of it is produced from fossil fuels.

One way or another, but despite all the existing problems, hydrogen is the future. According to the plan of the President of Hydrogen Europe, after 2030 the number of hydrogen vehicles will double every year.

References

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6. Blue Corridor Project on the Use of Natural Gas as a Motor Fuel in International Freight and Passenger Transport, United Nations, 2003.

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9. Yavorsky N.I., Vasiychuk V.O. (2022) Research of "carbon footprint" in the production and operation of electric vehicles (EV) / Sustainable development: environmental protection. Energy saving. Balanced Nature Management: 7th International Youth Congress. Lviv. 252.

10. Havrysh, V. I., Loik, V. B., Korol, O. S., & Synelnikov, O. D. (2020). A mathematical model for determining and analyzing temperature regimes in a battery pack of electric trucks. Scientific Bulletin of UNFU, 30 (1). 132-135.

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