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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 9556

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Karol Tucki

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Guest Editor

Department of Production Engineering, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: engines; fuels; turbines; energy engineering; environment; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Olga Orynycz

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Guest Editor

Department of Production Management, Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska Street 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: energy technologies; energy modeling; technology management; sustainable development; manufacturing engineering; emission
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Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Managing the development of the fuel and automotive industries to keep up with the needs of a dynamically changing environment and concern for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions are currently the main reasons for choosing the directions of technical progress in transport. The pursuit of sustainable development makes the fuel and automotive industries important sectors of the economy. It should be emphasized that an important factor mobilizing the search for modern technologies, especially in transport, is the progress of climate change related to the emission of greenhouse gases.

The purpose of this Special Issue of the journal Sustainability, entitled “Fuels for the Future”, is to provide a forum for the exchange of the latest technological information and to enable the dissemination of high-quality research results and the presentation of the latest developments in the fields of production and use of fuels that can contribute to improving the quality of life of society in the context of sustainable development. Papers on new fuel production technologies and new car-powering concepts that would lead to the decarbonization of road transport are welcomed.

Dr. Karol Tucki
Dr. Olga Orynycz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

energy sector
fuels
energy sources
production energy
fuel industry

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 7443 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Energy Synthesis Gases from Waste as Energy Source for Internal Combustion Engine

by Andrej Chríbik, Marián Polóni, Andrej Majkút, Ladislav Écsi and Ladislav Gulan

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7806; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107806 - 10 May 2023

Viewed by 1640

Abstract

The aim of the presented article is to analyse the influence of the composition of synthesis gases with mass lower heating values in the range from 12 to 20 MJ/kg on the performance, economic, and internal parameters of an atmospheric two-cylinder spark-ignition combustion engine suitable for a micro-generation unit. The analysed performance parameter was the torque. The economic parameters analysed were the hourly fuel consumption and the engine’s effective efficiency. The analysed internal parameters of the engine were the indicated mean effective pressure, the pressure profiles in the cylinder, the course of the maximum pressure in the cylinder, and the course of the burning-out of the fuel in the cylinder. The analysed synthesis gases were produced by thermo-chemical processes from waste containing combustible components (methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide) as well as inert gases (carbon dioxide and nitrogen). Higher hydrocarbons, which may be present in a synthesis gas, were not considered in this contribution because of their easy liquefaction at higher pressures in pressure bottles. A total of ten gases were analysed, all of which fall into the category of high-energy synthesis gases. The measured data from the operation of the combustion engine running on the examined gases were compared with the reference fuel methane. The measured results show a decrease in the performance parameters and an increase in the hourly fuel consumption for all operating loads. Specifically, at the engine speed of 1500 rpm, the drop in performance parameters was in the range from 9% to 24%. The performance parameters were directly proportional to the lower volumetric heating value of the stoichiometric mixture of gases with air. The rising fuel consumption proportionally matched the increase in the mass proportion of fuel in the stoichiometric mixture with air. The effective efficiency of the engine varied from 27.4% to 31.3% for different gas compositions, compared to 31.6% for methane. The conclusive results indicate that the proportion of hydrogen, methane and inert gases in the stoichiometric mixture of synthesis gases with air has the greatest influence on the course of fuel burning-out. The article points to the potential of energy recovery from waste by transforming waste into high-energy synthesis gases and their use in cogeneration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuels for the Future)

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11 pages, 2365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Combustion Conditions for Sustainable Dual-Fuel Mixtures

by Michal Puškár, Jozef Živčák, Matúš Lavčák, Marieta Šoltésová and Melichar Kopas

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13962; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113962 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1000

Abstract

The scientific contribution is focused on the analysis and optimization of combustion conditions concerning the dual-fuel mixtures. The greatest attention was paid to the temperature of intake air when a mixture of ethanol and gasoline created the applied fuel. An experimental fuel mixture was added into the intake pipe and ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel (ULSDF) was added directly into the engine cylinder using the CR (common rail) injection system. The article analysed the medium- and high-level operational engine load, whereby the engine timing parameters originally corresponded to a conventional diesel engine. The obtained results of the performed analysis showed that the temperature of intake air affected the following operational parameters: delay of ignition, pressure rise rate in the engine cylinder and the maximum level of pressure in the engine cylinder. Lower values of the intake air temperature enabled higher injection speeds for the ethanol–sustainable mixture (ESM), especially at high engine loads. An increase in the injection speed was possible due to lower charge air temperature. While there were reduced nitrogen oxide emissions, we also noted a reduction in both carbon monoxide emissions and the total amount of unburned hydrocarbon emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuels for the Future)

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23 pages, 2531 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health Care Financing and Economic Performance during the Coronavirus Pandemic, the War in Ukraine and the Energy Transition Attempt

by Kornelia Piech

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10601; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710601 - 25 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1314

Abstract

On account of the current epidemiological situation in the world, which results from propagation of the coronavirus, research related to the impact of health on economic growth is becoming especially important. Health capital is an important variable in economic growth models. The method of financing health care has a significant impact on both the health of the population and the level of income. Therefore, this article attempts to analyze the relationship between these values. The way in which health care is financed has a significant impact both on the state of health of the population and on the level of financial resources allocated to health care (e.g., health contributions according to income). The analysis covered the period 2000–2021. On the basis of official reports, available literature and own studies, health expenditure has been divided into three income groups: low-income countries, middle-income countries and high-income countries. On the basis of statistical and economic analyses, it has been found that GDP (Gross Domestic Product) has an impact on public health expenditure in upper- and middle-income groups, but not in low-income countries. The analysis presented is becoming more important in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and energy expenditure related to health care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuels for the Future)

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16 pages, 4994 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study of Combustion, Performance and Emission Characteristics of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil–Biobutanol Fuel Blends and Diesel Fuel on a CI Engine

by Sai Manoj Rayapureddy, Jonas Matijošius, Alfredas Rimkus, Jacek Caban and Tomasz Słowik

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7324; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127324 - 15 Jun 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1782

Abstract

This article is a study of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil and Butanol Fuel blends, which are mixed in three different proportions (HVOB5, HVOB10 and HVOB20), and the comparison of their combustion (in-cylinder pressure, pressure rise and ROHR), performance (fuel consumption, BSFC and BTE) and emission (CO₂, NO_X, HC and Smoke) characteristics with those of fossil diesel fuel. In the wake of finding an alternative fuel that requires little to zero modifications to the existing IC engines, it is necessary to account for the necessity of matching the efficiency of conventional fuels as well as greatly reducing its exhaust emissions. As a result of transesterification, HVO is found to have better stability and higher CN compared to other biofuels. It is termed a “renewable diesel” due to its ability to reduce emissions while maintaining efficiency. HVO as a fuel has higher cost efficiency, and for a more stable oxygen content in the fuel, an alcohol substitute is needed. Butanol, which has a considerable advantage over other alcohols due to its higher density, viscosity and CN, is selected. HVOB5 and HVOB10 are found to match diesel fuel in terms of fuel consumption while having a ~1% lesser efficiency. In terms of emissions, all the fuel mixtures including HVO100 are found to have ~4–5% lesser CO₂, ~10–15% lesser NO_X and a ~25–45% reduction in smoke levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuels for the Future)

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18 pages, 2435 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Routes to the Sustainability of the Food Packaging Industry

by Karol Tucki, Olga Orynycz, Andrzej Wasiak, Arkadiusz Gola and Leszek Mieszkalski

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3924; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073924 - 26 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2885

Abstract

Plastic packaging of food products has a significant impact on the sustainability of the food industry and trade. The article presents selected problems surrounding the production of plastic packaging for food storage and distribution that might cause disruptions in the implementation of sustainable production. An important question regards the extent to which the industry that produces this packaging complies with the sustainability requirements. The present work consists in an investigation of the problems observed in a plastic packaging manufacturing company located in Poland, which is part of a global corporation. Plastic waste management was analyzed and compared with the requirements of a closed loop economy. The quantities of raw material processed and the quantities of waste in the defined period were analyzed. During the analyzed period, 0.05% of the monthly production was non-recyclable waste. The quality of raw material seems to be responsible for the majority of wastes. Therefore, the important role of SAP (Systems Applications and Products) in the use of lower quality batches of raw material is indicated. On the other hand, a possibility of converting the wastes into liquid or gaseous fuels is suggested. In addition, the paper investigates the efficiency of machine use in a film bag production line in a three-shift system. Process losses were analyzed and reliability indicators such as overall equipment efficiency (OEE) and its components, mean time between failures (MTBF), and mean failure repair time (MTTR) were determined. The monthly OEE values for each change individually exceeded 80%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuels for the Future)

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