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Oil refining is a branch of industry that delivers energy to move our vehicles. The transportation of people and goods by airplanes, ships, trains, trucks, buses, and cars is unthinkable for modern mankind without the use of refined petroleum automotive fuels. Thus, the optimal functioning of this industrial branch is vital to contemporary human society. The modeling of processes that take place during refined oil products' manufacturing, which are parallel in their essence, by generalized nets enables their activity optimization and better management. The generalized nets, which are in principle extensions of Petri nets, are applied in this research as a toolkit to model all processes from crude oil selection and delivery to a high complex refinery (Nelson index of 10.6) to the production of a great diversity of fuels, propylene, and polypropylene. The proposed article is a continuation and extension of the articles, published in Mathematics Journal in 2021 and 2023. It is the first (theoretical part) of our comprehensive study of modeling petroleum products' production processes in a refinery, and the second part will discuss the results of the software implementation of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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[Display omitted] Small scale Marangoni motors, which self-generate motion by inducing surface tension gradients on water interfaces through release of surface-active "fuels", have recently been proposed as self-powered mixing devices for low volume fluids. Such devices however, often show self-limiting lifespans due to the rapid saturation of surface-active agents. A potential solution to this is the use volatile surface-active agents which do not persist in their environment. Here we investigate menthyl acetate (MA) as a safe, inexpensive and non-persistent fuel for Marangoni motors. MA was loaded asymmetrically into millimeter scale silicone sponges. Menthyl acetate reacts slowly with water to produce the volatile surface-active menthol, which induces surface tension gradients across the sponge to drive motion by the Marangoni effect. Videos were taken and trajectories determined by custom software. Mixing was assessed by the ability of Marangoni motors to homogenize milliliter scale aqueous solutions containing colloidal sediments. Marangoni motors, loaded with asymmetric "Janus" distributions of menthyl acetate show velocities and rotational speeds up to 30 mm s−1 and 500 RPM respectively, with their functional lifetimes scaling linearly with fuel volume. We show these devices are capable of enhanced mixing of solutions at orders of magnitude greater rates than diffusion alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-dimensional computational model has been developed that can be used to identify operating conditions for the cathode side of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell such that both the inlet and outlet relative humidity is equal to 100%. By balancing the calculated pressure drop along the cathode side flow channel with the change in molar composition, inlet conditions for the cathode side can be identified with the goal of avoiding channel flooding. The channel length, height, width and the land-to-channel width ratio are input parameters for the model so that it might be used to dimension the cathode flow field. The model can be used to calculate the limiting current density, and we are presenting unprecedented high values as a result of the high pressure drop along the flow channels. Such high current densities can ultimately result in a fuel cell power density beyond the typical value of 1.0–2.0 W/cm2 for automotive fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum refining has been, is still, and is expected to remain in the next decades the main source of energy required to drive transport for mankind. The demand for automotive and aviation fuels has urged refiners to search for ways to extract more light oil products per barrel of crude oil. The heavy oil conversion processes of ebullated bed vacuum residue hydrocracking (EBVRHC) and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) can assist refiners in their aim to produce more transportation fuels and feeds for petrochemistry from a ton of petroleum. However, a good understanding of the roles of feed quality and catalyst characteristics is needed to optimize the performance of both heavy oil conversion processes. Three knowledge discovery database techniques—intercriteria and regression analyses, and artificial neural networks—were used to evaluate the performance of commercial FCC and EBVRHC in processing 19 different heavy oils. Seven diverse FCC catalysts were assessed using a cascade and parallel fresh catalyst addition system in an EBVRHC unit. It was found that the vacuum residue conversion in the EBVRHC depended on feed reactivity, which, calculated on the basis of pilot plant tests, varied by 16.4%; the content of vacuum residue (VR) in the mixed EBVRHC unit feed (each 10% fluctuation in VR content leads to an alteration in VR conversion of 1.6%); the reaction temperature (a 1 °C deviation in reaction temperature is associated with a 0.8% shift in VR conversion); and the liquid hourly space velocity (0.01 h-1 change of LHSV leads to 0.85% conversion alteration). The vacuum gas oil conversion in the FCC unit was determined to correlate with feed crackability, which, calculated on the basis of pilot plant tests, varied by 8.2%, and the catalyst ΔCoke (each 0.03% ΔCoke increase reduces FCC conversion by 1%), which was unveiled to depend on FCC feed density and equilibrium FCC micro-activity. The developed correlations can be used to optimize the performance of FCC and EBVRHC units by selecting the appropriate feed slate and catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of enhance the designability of burning surface, star and wagon wheel fuel types are applied extensively in hybrid rocket motors. However, mechanism of nozzle ablation in hybrid rocket motors with these complex fuel types is unclear, and this increases the difficulty of predicting ablation laws and thrust. This paper intends to investigate spatial distribution characteristics of nozzle ablation in the hybrid rocket motor with various fuel types. According to the principle that the grain port area and grain length are equal, tube, star, single-port wagon wheel, and multi-port wagon wheel grains are designed. Numerical models for combustion flow and thermochemical erosion are established, and three-dimensional numerical simulations are conducted. A firing test for nozzle erosion is conducted, and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and 95 % hydrogen peroxide are employed. Errors of throat erosion rate and combustion chamber pressure among simulation results and experimental data are 4 % and 4.25 %, respectively. Calculation results demonstrate that the circumferential distributions of nozzle wall temperature and erosion rate show an obvious correlation with fuel types. The maximum throat erosion rates for star, single-port wagon wheel, and multi-port wagon wheel grains occur at the circumferential position of 0° (star slot, spoke slot, and midpoint of outer edge of wheel hole), while the minimum throat erosion rates locate at the circumferential position of 36° (star root, spoke root, and midline of adjacent wheel holes). The circumferential non-uniformity of throat erosion rate of multi-port wagon wheel grain is the highest. When the grain port area and oxidizer mass flow rate are the same, the throat erosion rate of multi-port wagon wheel grain is the highest, followed by the star grain, and the throat erosion rate of single-port wagon wheel grain is the lowest. • Effect of complex fuel types on spatial characteristics of nozzle erosion is studied. • Firing test of carbon-based nozzle erosion is performed to verify numerical models. • Three-dimensional simulations on erosion in hybrid rocket motors are conducted. • Simulation results agree well with test data. • Ablation mechanism of star, single-port, and multi-port wagon wheel grain is revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adulteration of diesel fuel poses a major concern in most developing countries including Ghana despite the many regulatory schemes adopted. The solvent tracer analysis approach currently used in Ghana has over the years suffered several limitations which affect the overall implementation of the scheme. There is therefore a need for alternative or supplementary tools to help detect adulteration of automotive fuel. Herein we describe a two-level classification method that combines NMR spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms to detect adulteration in diesel fuel. The training sets used in training the machine learning algorithms contained 20–40% w/w adulterant, a level typically found in Ghana. At the first level, a classification model is built to classify diesel samples as neat or adulterated. Adulterated samples are passed on to the second stage where a second classification model identifies the type of adulterant (kerosene, naphtha, or premix) present. Samples were analyzed by 1H NMR spectroscopy and the data obtained were used to build and validate support vector machine (SVM) classification models at both levels. At level 1, the SVM model classified all 200 samples with only 2.5% classification errors after validation. The level 2 classification model developed had no classification errors for kerosene and premix in diesel. However, 2.5% classification error was recorded for samples adulterated with naphtha. Despite the great performance of the proposed schemes, it showed significantly erratic predictions with adulterant levels below 20% w/w as the training sets for both models contained adulterants above 20% w/w. The proposed method, nevertheless, proved to be a potential tool that could serve as an alternative to the marking system in Ghana for the fast detection of adulterants in diesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the possibility of processing oil sludge, a waste product of oil refining, using an energy-efficient technology based on the thermal cracking process. This process takes place at a temperature of 460-470°C and a pressure of 0.11-0.14 MPa. The process produces 57-60 % fuel and 27-34 % oil fractions that can be used in the production of commercial oil products. The industrial implementation of this oil sludge processing technology allows to produce an additional amount of commercial oil products, as well as to solve the problem of accumulation of harmful waste from the oil refining industry, which has a negative impact on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new plastic-intensive medium-pressure plate (MPP), which is part of a fuel-cell system, has been developed together with a steel plate meeting all mechanical and chemical requirements. This newly developed MPP had to achieve the objective of saving weight and package space. The use of compression molding as a manufacturing technique facilitated the use of glass mat thermoplastics (GMT) which has higher E-modules and strength compared to most of the injection molded materials. A steel plate was placed as an insert to help achieve the stiffness requirements. For the development, the existing MPP was benchmarked for its structural capabilities and its underlying functional features. Four different FRP materials were investigated in terms of their chemical and mechanical properties. PP-GMT material, which has both high mechanical performance and resistance against chemicals in the fuel cell fluid, had been chosen. Using the properties of the chosen PP-GMT material, topology optimization was carried out based on the quasi-static load case and manufacturing constraints, which gave a load-conforming rib structure. The obtained rib structure was utilized to develop the final MPP with adherence to the functional requirements of MPP. The developed plastic-intensive MPP exhibits a 3-in-1 component feature with a 55% reduction in package space and an 8% weight reduction. The MPP was virtually analyzed for its mechanical strength and compared with the existing benchmark values. Finally, a press tool was conceptualized and manufactured to fabricate the new plastic-intensive MPP, which was tested in a rig and validated in the FE model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ODS) using titanium silicate catalysts has emerged as an efficient technique for the complete removal of organosulfur compounds from automotive fuels. However, the precise control of highly accessible and stable-framework Ti active sites remains highly challenging. Here we reveal for the first time by using density functional theory calculations that framework hexa-coordinated Ti (TiO6) species of mesoporous titanium silicates are the most active sites for ODS and lead to a lower-energy pathway of ODS. A novel method to achieve highly accessible and homogeneously distributed framework TiO6 active single sites at the mesoporous surface has been developed. Such surface framework TiO6 species exhibit an exceptional ODS performance. A removal of 920 ppm of benzothiophene is achieved at 60°C in 60 min, which is 1.67 times that of the best catalyst reported so far. For bulky molecules such as 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT), it takes only 3 min to remove 500 ppm of DMDBT at 60°C with our catalyst, which is five times faster than that with the current best catalyst. Such a catalyst can be easily upscaled and could be used for concrete industrial application in the ODS of bulky organosulfur compounds with minimized energy consumption and high reaction efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorinated organic compounds, as contaminants in marine fuels, have caused severe damage, affecting both main and auxiliary engines. Contaminated fuels can cause serious damage to an engine and its components, corroding fuel pumps and blocking filters, for example. This affects the operation of the engine, and, in the most severe cases, vessel safety. This study considered fossil diesel containing hydrochloric acid as a possible product formed under certain conditions in fuel contaminated with COCs and its effects on carbon steel, stainless steel, tempering steel, and aluminum. Five fuel samples with different concentrations of hydrochloric acid were prepared, plus one sample of diesel and water. Metal bars were partially immersed in the fuel samples and stored at room temperature for approximately one month. A visual assessment found corrosion across the entire surface of all metal bars when exposed to fuel samples containing hydrochloric acid. Even the smallest acid content (25 ppm) caused corrosion, and the effects were already observable after only two days of exposure. Despite their acid contamination, the measured fuel properties fulfilled the standard for automotive fuels at the beginning of the test. The water in the diesel sample did not cause any visible corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel cell technology is a promising alternative to traditional internal combustion engines in various applications, especially in transportation applications. However, the high cost and limited lifetime of fuel cells have hindered their widespread commercialization. Accurately predicting fuel cell lifetime is crucial for reducing the cost of ownership, ensuring safety, and promoting the adoption of this technology. The objective of the present work is to develop a tool that is able to estimate the lifespan of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell and to predict its behavior to anticipate failures. Therefore, this paper contributes to proposing a multi‐input time‐series prediction network based on an echo state network, which takes the future current into consideration. A degradation trend extraction method is proposed in this paper and the remaining useful life of the fuel cell is predicted. Results have shown that the proposed methods in both short‐term and long‐term prediction have achieved satisfying prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superconducting electric motors are required in order to deliver lower-carbon aviation. Critical to the success and viability of operating superconducting electric motors in aviation is keeping the superconducting coils at their operating temperature. This paper examines the challenges of keeping a superconducting motor cold if it were used on a single aisle passenger aircraft such as an Airbus A320. The cooling problem is defined and different cooling scenarios are investigated to determine viability. The investigation has shown that for a motor with a superconducting rotor only (copper stator), a Stirling-type cryocooler would be sufficient. However, if the motor is to be fully superconducting, then the cooling loads of the stator, which are much higher, make mechanical refrigeration impractical and the only option is to cool the motor with the heat sink of a liquid hydrogen fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated spectral laser-induced fluorescence signals of dyes in fuels for automotive and aerospace applications under low temperatures and cryogenic conditions down to 183 K. For this purpose, a fluorescence chamber was developed based on cooling with liquid nitrogen. The design enabled a minimal inner chamber temperature of 153 K. Furthermore, the applicability of two-color LIF for liquid thermometry was evaluated under these conditions. The temperature determination was based on the temperature-sensitive fluorescence intensity ratio of the special dyes doped into the fuels determined in suitable spectral regions, which represented common bandpass filters. For this purpose, the fluorescence signals of the dye doped into the gasoline and jet fuel surrogate isooctane were tested as well as blends of isooctane and the ethanol biofuels E20 (comprising 80 vol.% isooctane and 20 vol.% ethanol), E40, and E100. Additionally, a realistic multi-component fuel Jet A-1 mixed with a suitable fluorescence dye was investigated. E100 was doped with Eosin-Y, and the remaining fuels were doped with Nile red. Temperature-dependent spectral LIF intensities were recorded in the range of 183 K–293 K, which simulate extreme environments for aerospace and automotive applications. Frozen fuel–dye mixtures cause significant extinction effects and prevent sufficient signal detection at low and cryogenic temperatures, defining the detection limit. A temperature decrease led to a spectral shift in the emission peaks of E100 doped with Eosin-Y toward shorter wavelengths, while the spectra of mixtures doped with Nile red were shifted toward longer wavelengths. The suggested bandpass filters produced the temperature-sensitive intensity ratio (the average over the temperature interval) of the dyes with the largest sensitivity for Jet A-1 (5.2%/K), followed by E100 (4.95%/K), E40 (4.07%/K), E20 (3.23%/K), and isooctane (3.07%/K), even at cryogenic temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the European Union, the course of the Community's energy and climate policy as well as changes in the objectives and priorities of the Common Agricultural Policy, as reflected, among others, in rural development programs subject to ex ante, environmental and ex post evaluation, should be considered. Individual EU countries are still implementing their own programs focused on improving energy efficiency, energy modernisation and supporting renewable energy, and they also intervene in the energy market on an ad hoc basis, as was the case after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. This article fits into such a broadly understood research perspective, and its primary goal is to identify the impact of the costs of energy consumption and the reimbursement of excise tax on motor fuels on the operational durability and financial sustainability of 103 farms belonging to the Polish FADN network, which in 2017–2021 implemented modernisation projects under the rural development program. Logistic and linear multivariate regression were used to estimate the strength, direction and significance of correlation relationships. It was found that relative energy costs were significantly negatively correlated with financial sustainability only in the linear model, while the impact of excise tax return was positive but not significant. Thus, an empirical proof of the advisability of a possible public intervention aimed at making farmers' access to energy cheaper was obtained. All public interventions in agricultural energy use should be subject to careful and systematic ex ante, mid-term and ex post assessments based on sound program theory. It is necessary to identify the cause-and-effect chains, in which the regression proposed in the article may be helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To accurately evaluate the size and distribution characteristics of the emission particles exhausted from in-use motor vehicle engines, we independently developed a condensation particle counter (CPC) known as BHCPC. It was calibrated by conducting the calibration procedures stated in the International Standard ISO 27981. After calibration, we conducted on-site measurements and offline sampling analysis of soot particles exhausted from different engines at a motor vehicle inspection center. The calibration results show that the detection efficiency is 90% when the particle diameter is 20.6 nm and the startup response time of the instrument is 3.53 s. The experiment results show that the self-developed BHCPC demonstrates good consistency in measuring particle-number concentration (PNC) in motor vehicle exhaust, with significant count fluctuations only occurring when PNC is higher than 25,000 P/cc. Under idle conditions, motor vehicles compliant with China VI emission regulations exhibit markedly lower exhaust emission PNC compared to those adhering to China IV emission regulations. Moreover, the results obtained from the offline electron microscope analysis show that fuel content in particle samples significantly decreases as engine speed increases, and a similar variation was also found in particle size. The micro-characteristics of the particle can give potential support to the combustion diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterised by motor disturbances and non-motor (i.e., psychiatric) symptoms. Motor symptoms are the hallmark features of HD and take many forms. Their emergence is related to alterations in striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission: dopamine levels increase in the early stages of the disease, while more advanced stages are characterised by reduced dopamine levels. Such a biphasic change potentially explains the alterations in motor symptoms: increased dopamine-production induces hyperkinetic movements early in the disease course, while depleted dopamine storage leads to hypokinetic symptoms in the advanced phase. Dopamine D2-D3 partial agonists could be a promising treatment option in HD, as they have the potential to either elevate or lower the surrounding dopamine levels if the levels are too low or too high, respectively, potentially offering symptom-relief across the illness-course. Therefore, the present study aimed at exploring the effects of cariprazine, a dopamine D2-D3 partial agonist with high affinity to D3 receptors, on motor symptoms associated with HD. Methods: This was a single-centre, retrospective study where sixteen patients received off-label cariprazine treatment for 12 weeks (1.5-3 mg/day). Motor symptoms were evaluated using the Motor Assessment of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale. Least Square (LS) Mean Changes from Baseline (BL) to Week 8 and Week 12 in the Total Motor Score (TMS) were analysed using the Mixed Model for Repeated Measures method. In addition, improvement from BL to Week 8 and 12 was calculated for all motor items. Results: Data of 16 patients were collected, but data of only 15 patients were analysed as one patient dropped out due to non-compliance. Significant changes were observed from BL to Week 8 (LS Mean Change: -9.4, p < 0.0001) and to Week 12 (LS Mean Change: -12.8, p < 0.0001) in the TMS. The improvement was captured in the majority of motor functions, excluding bradykinesia and gait. Mild akathisia was the most commonly reported side-effect, affecting 3 patients. Conclusion: This is the first study investigating the effectiveness of a D2-D3 partial agonist, cariprazine, in the treatment of HD. The findings of this study revealed that cariprazine was effective in the treatment of a wide range of motor symptoms associated with HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is expected to be one of the most important fuels meeting stringent emission standards shortly. Using hydrogen as a fuel in an internal combustion engine (ICE) is an alternative application to replace hydrocarbon fuels that, when burned, produce harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases. This work provides an overview of the latest research results and future challenges and opportunities related to the use of hydrogen to power ICEs. The article presents the work of various research centres describing the technical use of hydrogen as a fuel in motor vehicles with combustion engines. Specific chemical and physical properties of hydrogen used in combustion engines were presented. The article presents modern research on a hydrogen-powered ICE. First, the basics of hydrogen engines are described, examining the engine-specific properties of hydrogen, followed by a review of the existing literature. Attention was paid to the fundamental importance of optimising the air composition from the point of view of combustion quality, NOx emissions, engine efficiency, and performance. Another issue under consideration is cleaning exhaust gases to meet future emissions regulations for hydrogen-fuelled combustion engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isobutanol, one of the four isomers of butanol (C4H9OH), possesses some favorable properties that make it an attractive fuel for internal combustion engines. For instance, when compared to ethanol, isobutanol features a higher heating value and lower hygroscopicity (which prevents corrosion and enables it to be transported via pipelines). Moreover, its addition to gasoline does not distort the fuel blend's vapor pressure to the same extent as ethanol does. All of this while having a high octane rating. Those advantages over ethanol suggest that isobutanol has the potential to be used as a gasoline oxygenate or even as a neat fuel. Furthermore, the advances made in biotechnology have enabled isobutanol to be produced from biomass more efficiently, allowing it to be used in compliance with existing renewable energy mandates. This article reviews some of the relevant literature dedicated to isobutanol as a motor fuel, covering its merits and drawbacks. Several studies on its combustion characteristics are also discussed. Most of the included literature refers to the use of isobutanol in spark-ignition (SI) engines, as its properties naturally lend themselves to such applications. However, isobutanol's utilization in diesel engines is also addressed, along with a couple of low-temperature combustion examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micro–nano coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is an instrument for high-precision measurement of micro-precision parts. The top of its probe is a microsphere with a diameter of tens to hundreds of micrometres. When the probe microsphere touches the part for measurement, its accuracy is affected by the surface morphology of the microsphere. A tuning fork resonant probe used for micro–nano CMMs is used to measure the contour of the micropore in automotive fuel injection nozzles in this study. Combined with the self-made optical fiber microsphere cross-sectional circle parameters at the top of the tuning fork probe, precise measurement of micropore diameter and roundness is achieved. During the experiment, the microsphere and micropore were measured by two independent systems, and thus, the error caused by the initial measurement angle of the microsphere and micropore is evaluated. The experimental results indicate that the measured micropore diameter is 194.542 μm and the roundness is 2.551 μm. The error caused by the initial measurement angle evaluated by the cubic Hermitian interpolation method can be ignored relative to the measurement results. The micropore structure parameters are precisely measured by the resonant probe combined with the morphology information of its top microsphere in this study, providing a research method for improving the measurement accuracy of micro–nano CMMs by combining microsphere morphology features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the main target is to obtain high grade light commercial motor fuels from the catalytic cracking of the gas oil fraction by using a modified green catalyst biochar. For this aim, initially the biochar has been impregnated with the spent pickling liquor to acquire a catalyst being strong cracking activity under certain conditions. By using of the catalyst activated via the spent pickling liquor, the catalytic cracking runs have been carried out on the gas oil at different catalyst additive rates in ranging from 5 wt.% to 20 wt.% to obtain light liquid hydrocarbon fractions at the temperature of 500°C and heating rate of 10 °/min. The n-pentane soluble fraction of the catalytic cracking liquid obtained from the use of activated char catalyst at additive rate of 20 wt.% has a low sulphur content and also consisted of short straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbons with carbon number of C13, C17, and C18 compared to those of the thermal and non-activated catalyst. Consequently, the activated catalyst has a considerable potential as a green catalyst with low cost for the converting of heavy hydrocarbons into light and more valuable hydrocarbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes a complex approach to the disposal of solid polymer waste produced in the cities of Ukraine through their technological pro-cessing into various types of fuel, lubricants and construction materials. This approach is supposed to have positive environmental effect in big cities and on the outskirts. Fuel fractions (bp.-200℃; 200-300℃ and 300-360℃) were produced by thermal destruction. According to their characteristics and octane (66-72 units) and cetane (42-60 units) numbers in particular, these fractions are recommended for the production of motor fuels and preservative plastic lubricants (NLGI 3/4/5) and for combined processing of polymer waste with other waste - antifriction (NLGI 00/0/1/2/3) and sealing (NLGI 3/4/5) plastic lubricants; protective coatings with a softening temperature index value in the range of 80-130 ℃, penetration at 25 ℃ in the range of 10-40 mm×10-1. New structural materials were obtained from secondary polymers and mineral fillers using the technology of thermal compounding and pressing under pressure. These materials are characterized by high resistance to chemical reagents (loss of mass 0.11-4.60% by mass), water resistance (0.11% by mass); compressive strength (27.3 MPa). They have prospects for designing new waste water disposal systems for oil refining enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Senate Bill 146, which addresses the regulation, oversight, and taxation of motor fuel for electric vehicles in Georgia. It discusses the legislation's objectives, including enabling the sale of electricity through electric vehicle chargers, establishing standards for charging station calibration, and implementing a motor fuel tax on electricity to fund the state's infrastructure.

Natural gas liquids are a by-product of natural gas preparation, one of the most common and environmentally friendly energy sources. In natural gas fields located in remote areas, there is no resource-efficient way to use natural gas liquids. However, natural gas liquids are a valuable hydrocarbon feedstock for the production of motor fuels, in particular motor gasolines. The aim of this work is to develop a method for obtaining motor gasolines by processing natural gas liquids on a zeolite catalyst, taking into account the influence of the particle size of the zeolite catalyst, the technological parameters of the process, and the composition of the feedstock. As part of the work, for the first time, regularities of the influence of zeolite catalyst particle size, technological parameters of the process and the composition of feedstock on the composition and characteristics of the resulting processed products were revealed. A database about the composition and characteristics of natural gas liquids, obtained from various gas fields in Western Siberia of the Russian Federation, has been accumulated. During the study, it was found that the optimal particle size of the zeolite catalyst is 0.50–1.00 mm; optimal technological parameters are a temperature of 375 °C, pressure 2.5 atm. and the feedstock space velocity 2 h−1. It is shown that the processing of natural gas liquids of various compositions on a zeolite catalyst, on average, makes it possible to increase their detonation resistance by more than 16 points. The results obtained indicate the prospects of using the process for the production of motor gasoline. The paper presents a number of blending recipes for obtaining fuels, both within the framework of production at the fields and at processing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to analyze the oil and petroleum products markets in Ukraine and tendencies in meeting the country’s needs for motor fuel. To achieve this aim, an analysis of the state of the oil and gas condensate market in Ukraine was carried out; the dynamics of oil and gas condensate consumption in Ukraine is studied; the main consumers and producers of motor fuel in Ukraine are identified; the dynamics of oil and gas condensate refining volumes is analyzed. The article also examines the dynamics of exports and imports of oil and gas condensate in Ukraine. The demand for crude oil and gas condensate in Ukraine is analyzed and it is determined that the dependence of domestic producers of light oil products on imported oil supplies significantly affects the oil market of Ukraine. The tendencies of oil and gas condensate production in Ukraine have been studied and their steady decline in recent years has been noted. The results of the study of the current state and trends in the development of the oil products market in Ukraine are presented. The dynamics of consumption and production, as well as the features of demand for motor fuel both in general and for its types in particular – motor gasoline, diesel fuel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) – are analyzed. The geographical structure of motor fuel imports by its individual types is analyzed. Their main importers in the Ukraine have been identified. The balance of the market for the main types of motor fuel has been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on addressing the durability issues of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), caused by catalyst corrosion during start-up/shutdown (SU/SD) situations. The proposed strategy involves coating anodic components, including catalyst layers (CL), gas diffusion layers (GDL) and bipolar plates (BP), with WO3 to achieve hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) selectivity, enhancing FCEV durability without changing the conventional manufacturing process.

Microemulsion fuels, also known as surfactant-free fuels, are fuels made from a combination of two immiscible liquids, hydrocarbon fuel, and water, with a trace quantity of a co-solvent. Surfactants are often used in conventional microemulsion fuels, however surfactant-free microemulsion fuels instead depend on the thermodynamic features of the combination to generate a stable emulsion. In this paper, the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model for choosing microemulsion fuel with surfactant-free. Various helpful and harmful criteria were evaluated for ten fuels at varying motor loads, according to performance and emission characteristics. This paper integrated the neutrosophic set with the TOPSIS method. The neutrosophic set is used to deal with uncertain data. The TOPSIS method is used to rank the different fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proves that today motor fuels is an important component of both energy and national security of any country in the world, since it provides transport and equipment with the necessary energy resource. After the invasion of the territory of Ukraine by the armed forces of the russian federation and the destruction caused by shelling and hostilities of a number of oil and gas processing plants, it is necessary to restore or create a new production of motor fuels on the country’s own raw material base as soon as possible. The only energy resource that can partially meet Ukraine’s needs for motor fuels through the country’s own production is coal and lignite. The establishment of the production of synthetic liquid fuels (SLF) from coal and lignite in the regions of Ukraine will help strengthen the country’s energy security, and national security in particular. At the same time, the creation and development of SLF production requires proper government support and regulation. The aim of the study is to determine the features and directions of improving government regulation and supporting the production of SLF in Ukraine. Based on the carried out study, it is proved that the lack of both production and market of synthetic analogues and components of liquid motor fuels in Ukraine determines that the regulatory field of enterprises for the production of SLF is represented by the current regulatory framework for economic relations in the sphere of oil and oil products turnover. Therefore, it is highly likely that the development of SLF production in Ukraine will take place in the regulatory field, which does not take into account the specifics of new industries. This inconsistency can create undesirable additional barriers to their entry into the national market of petroleum products. It is recommended to allocate synthetic analogues of motor fuels into a separate commodity group, for which it is advisable to establish a special excise tax rate and other preferences that can provide sufficient investment flow for the creation of SLF production facilities.

This paper compares the performance of different control techniques applied to a high-performance brushless DC (BLDC) motor. The first controller is a classical proportional integral (PI) controller. In contrast, the second one is based on adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (proportional integral-adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (PI-ANFIS) and particle swarm optimization-proportional integral-adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (PSO-PI-ANFIS)). The control objective is to regulate the rotor speed to its desired reference value in the presence of load torque disturbance and parameter variations. The proposed controller uses a dSPACE platform (MicroLabBox controller board). The experimental prototype comprises a PEMFC system (the Nexa Ballard FC power generator: 1.2 kW, 52 A) and a brushless DC motor BLDC of 1 kW 1000 rpm. The PSO-PI-ANFIS controller presents better performance than the PI-ANFIS and classical PI controllers due to its ability to optimize the PI-ANFIS controller's parameters using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. This optimization results in improved tracking accuracy and reduced overshoot and settling time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant disadvantages of electric multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles is their short flight time compared to fuel-powered unmanned aerial vehicles. This is mainly due to the low energy density of electric batteries. Fuel has much more energy density when compared to batteries. Electric-powered motors in multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles cannot be replaced with fuel-based engines because the stability and control of multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles rely on the high response rates of electric motors. One of the possible solutions to overcome this problem of short endurance times is by using hybrid thrusting systems that combine the advantages of both fuel and electrical propulsion systems, where high maneuverability and long endurance flight time could be achieved. In this work, hybrid thrusting and power systems for multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles are studied. Targeted hybrid thrusting systems consist of combustion engines, electric motors, and their power sources. Then a hybrid thrusting system-based quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle model is developed. The article presents the altitude and attitude control systems of the developed hybrid thrusting system-based unmanned aerial vehicle. The presented hybrid quadcopter model comprises four electric motors and one fuel engine. The fuel engine used in this work is a 4.07 cc internal combustion engine targeting 2–3 kg unmanned aerial vehicles with up to 5 kg maximum takeoff weight. The developed hybrid quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle achieved a 139% improvement in flight time when compared with traditional electric-based quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles. The article also reports on other flight time-related issues such as the optimal fuel mass to battery size ratio to maximize the endurance time of the quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum-derived gasoline is still the most widely used liquid automotive fuel for ground vehicles equipped with spark-ignition engines. One of the most important properties of gasoline fuels is their antiknock performance, which is experimentally evaluated via the octane number (ON). It is widely accepted that the standard methods for ON measuring (RON: research octane number and MON: motor octane number) are very expensive due to the costs of the experimental facilities and are generally not suitable for field monitoring or online analysis. To overcome these intrinsic problems, it is convenient that the ON of gasoline fuels is estimated via faster methods than the experimental tests and allows for acceptable results with acceptable reproducibility. Various ON prediction methods have been proposed in the literature. These methods differ in the type of fuels for which they are developed, the input features, and the analytical method used to underlie the link between input features and ON. The aim of this work is to develop and evaluate three empirical methods for predicting the ON of petroleum-derived gasoline fuels using MIR spectra, GC-MS, and routine test data as input features. In all cases, the chosen analytical method was partial least squares regression (PLSR). The best performance for both MON and RON prediction corresponded with the composition-based model, since it presented lesser evaluation indices (RMSE, MAE, and R2) and more than 80% of residuals were within the established criteria (sum of the reproducibility and the uncertainty of the standard method). Although the routine-test-data-based method performed poorly according to the established criterion, its use could be recommended in cases of scarce data since it showed an acceptable value of R2 and physical consistency. Despite their empirical nature, the proposed prediction models based on MIR (mid-infrared) spectra, GC-MS, and routine test data had the potential to predict the RON and MON of real gasoline fuels commercialized in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One major cost of improving the automotive fuel economy while simultaneously reducing tailpipe emissions is increased powertrain complexity. This complexity has consequently increased the resources (both time and money) needed to develop such powertrains. Powertrain performance is heavily influenced by the quality of the controller/calibration. Since traditional control development processes are becoming resource-intensive, better alternate methods are worth pursuing. Recently, reinforcement learning (RL), a machine learning technique, has proven capable of creating optimal controllers for complex systems. The model-free nature of RL has the potential to streamline the control development process, possibly reducing the time and money required. This article reviews the impact of choices in two areas on the performance of RL-based powertrain controllers to provide a better awareness of their benefits and consequences. First, we examine how RL algorithm action continuities and control–actuator continuities are matched, via native operation or conversion. Secondly, we discuss the formulation of the reward function. RL is able to optimize control policies defined by a wide spectrum of reward functions, including some functions that are difficult to implement with other techniques. RL action and control–actuator continuity matching affects the ability of the RL-based controller to understand and operate the powertrain while the reward function defines optimal behavior. Finally, opportunities for future RL-based powertrain control development are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (EPDM) rubber is one of the rapidly developing synthetic rubbers for use as a gasket material in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications. Despite its excellent elastic and sealing properties, EPDM faces challenges such as molding processability and recycling ability. To overcome these challenges, thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), which comprises vulcanized EPDM in polypropylene matrix, was investigated as a gasket material for PEM fuel cell applications. TPV showed better long-term stability in terms of tension and compression set behaviors under accelerated aging conditions than EPDM. Additionally, TPV exhibited significantly higher crosslinking density and surface hardness than EPDM, regardless of the test temperature and aging time. TPV and EPDM showed similar leakage rates for the entire range of test inlet pressure values, regardless of the applied temperature. Therefore, we can conclude that TPV exhibits a similar sealing capability with more stable mechanical properties compared with commercialized EPDM gaskets in terms of He leakage performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classification of engine fuels was systematised in the present study. The basic evaluation criterion included the type of raw material used for the production of motor fuel and the prevalence of its usage. There was a reason for the purposefulness of searching for new kinds of engine fuels not only for the sake of environmental protection but also for the rational use of natural resources. The concept of substitute fuels was methodically presented. The criteria for the qualification of substitute fuels for internal combustion engines were systematised. Using the example of fuels produced from bio-oils, tests were carried out to assess the prospects of considering bio-oil fuels as substitute ones for self-ignition engines. Accordingly, an analysis was, inter alia, conducted on the fuel combustion process in the cylinder of a test self-ignition engine. Based on the results obtained, the thesis was formulated that rapeseed methyl ester (RME) fuel can be considered a substitute fuel for modern self-ignition engines. There are no significant differences between the physicochemical properties between DF diesel fuel and B100 fuel apart from a significantly higher oxygen mass content in B100. The torque of an internal combustion engine is regularly higher for diesel fuel. The use of B100 fuel enables a measurable reduction in pollutant emissions. The working factor pressure in the cylinder is slightly lower when the engine is powered by B100. The relative heat release rate for B100 is slightly lower compared to DF diesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unstable market of conventional fuel resources with the high fluctuation of oil prices is shifting interest towards obtaining fuels from renewable components. Unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, produced in oil refineries and from renewable bioresources, present a potential feedstock for the production of oxygen-containing additives for motor fuels. In the present paper the interaction of the simplest representative of diene series – isoprene with various classes of oxygen-containing compounds: ethyl alcohol, acetic acid, acetaldehyde, produced from biomass as well, is analyzed. The possibility of synthesizing of various acetals and paraldehyde, proposed as potential high-quality fuel additives, via interaction of isoprene with ethyl alcohol and acetaldehyde, is shown. Within the first series of experiments, sufficiently high yields of products are obtained. Yield of potential oxygen containing additives to gasoline produced via interaction of isoprene with ethanol exceeds 15 %, via interaction of isoprene with acetaldehyde: potential diesel additives −40 %, gasoline additives −12.9 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane is an important greenhouse gas, which constitutes minimum 90% of automotive grade compressed natural gas (CNG) used in India. The use of CNG as automotive fuel has been implemented in almost all major tier I to tier III cities of the country. Delhi, the capital city of India, has world largest CNG-fuelled public transport system. The cylinders fitted to the CNG-fuelled vehicles are required to be subjected to hydrostatic stretch test every 3 years at Government of India approved CNG cylinder testing stations, as mandated under Rule 35 of Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016. During the testing of cylinders, CNG present in the cylinders are discharged in the atmosphere at the degassing point of CNG testing stations. This study estimates annual methane emissions from the CNG cylinder testing stations of Delhi. The annual average methane emission from the CNG cylinder testing stations of Delhi was found to be 30.8 tons during the year 2019. The uncertainties in the emission estimate are also identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In connection with the increase in the price of fuel based on hydrocarbons, the search and use of alternative types of fuel for machines in the mining and oil production industry is quite relevant today. Most of the existing alternative fuels by themselves cannot be considered as ready-to-use motor fuels. One of the ways to solve this problem is to use their mixtures with commercial fuels in certain ratios. This work deals with the development and research of the main characteristics of the mixer for obtaining mixed fuels based on diesel fuel and soybean oil, as well as the results of the study of the physical and operational properties of the obtained mixtures of different volume ratios of diesel fuel and soybean oil. The process of obtaining a mixed alternative fuel based on diesel fuel and soybean oil was implemented on a developed installation consisting of a mixer, the design of which is protected by a patent of Ukraine, and a gear pump. The study of the characteristics of the mixer as part of the installation showed that at a temperature of the components of the alternative fuel of 20°С, with a loss of full pressure on the mixer Δр ≈ (60-65) kPa, the volume consumption of soybean oil reached 10.7.10-6 m3/s. The time of preparation of the fuel mixture in the amount of 195 liters with a content of soybean oil of 10% ranged from 30 to 33 minutes. As research has shown, mixing soybean oil with diesel fuel in the amount of 5-50% vol. provides an improvement in viscosity-temperature properties and makes it possible to use such mixtures in diesel engines without changes in the design of the power supply system and regulation of fuel equipment, which characterizes soybean oil as a promising additive to diesel fuels to improve their technical and operational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfect flow distribution is extremely important and essential for digital pumps. However, the fluctuation of motor speed and the change of valve dynamic characteristics cause the flow distribution flaw, which generates the backflow of the oil in the piston chamber and the decrease in pump volumetric efficiency. Based on the three-dimensional and mathematical modeling of the digital pump, the perfect distribution state of the digital pump is analyzed. Then, the adverse effects of the variations in motor speed and valve dynamic characteristics on the flow distribution of the digital pump were simulated and investigated by the software AMESim. To overcome the aforementioned problems, we proposed an adaptive control method for the flow distribution valve of a digital pump, which was realized by adopting the axis rotation angle and the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the flow distribution valve. The results show that the control signal of the flow distribution valve can be regulated automatically along with the motor speed and the valve dynamic characteristics, achieving the ideal flow distribution of the digital pump designed in this paper. The study can be used as a reference for the optimal design and prototype manufacturing of the digital pump. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PEM fuel cell systems face highly dynamic load profiles in automotive application. This work showcases the impact of media supply adaption, system architecture and test rig restrictions on the transient voltage response of an automotive fuel cell stack. Current step and load profile experiments were conducted on a system test rig, featuring automotive balance of plant components, and a short stack test bench. A time scale analysis allowed us to identify the predominant effect for the voltage response in each test case. The voltage response measured in the test cases was dominated either by air supply, membrane humidification or coolant temperature dynamics. This systematic comparison of different types of test setups highlights the importance of application-like system level testing as, in contrast to common experiments, different phenomena shape the electrical stack behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a valuable method to perform transient numerical simulations for hybrid rocket motors (HRMs). A two-dimensional transient numerical simulation model based on Butterworth filter and dynamic mesh is established. The Butterworth filter adopted in this project is a second-order low-pass filter. Then a firing test is arranged to prove the accuracy of the numerical simulation model of the HRMs. This rocket motor adopts 98% hydrogen peroxide (HP) and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) fuel containing aluminum as the propellants. The results demonstrate that the Butterworth filter can significantly improve the smoothness of the combustion surface compared with non-filter. And the combustion chamber pressure and thrust of simulation and test results are in good agreement. The average deviation of combustion chamber pressure between the simulation and test is 0.9%, and the average deviation of thrust between the simulation and test is 3.3%, which verifies the feasibility of the numerical simulation model for this HRM. Comparing the regression rate and filtered regression rate along with axial distance over time, it is indicated that the high-frequency oscillations are filtered by the Butterworth filter. In order to compare the port of simulation and test, the combustion chamber is scanned by computed tomography (CT) after the test. The results demonstrate that the simulation and test results are in good agreement, and the average deviation of simulation and test results is 4.5% mainly due to the end-burning of grain and nitrogen blowing. Then, the long-time simulations that adopted the Butterworth filter and non-filter were conducted. The results demonstrate that the use of the Butterworth filter can significantly smooth the combustion surface and the model has the ability to perform long-time simulations. This project can make the simulation for HRMs closer to the test results and provide a valuable guide for HRMs simulation. • A simulation model of hybrid rocket motor based on Butterworth filter is established. • The Butterworth filter is adopted to smooth the combustion surface. • A firing test of hybrid rocket motor with fuel containing aluminum is carried out. • Simulated combustion surface is compared with the computed tomography scan results. • A long-time simulation is conducted to validate model accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels as a substitute for conventional aviation and motor vehicle fuels have received considerable global interest over the past decades mainly due to their perceived economic, social, and environmental benefits. Despite these economic benefits, most developing countries, including South Africa (SA), have yet to produce commercial biofuels. This study aims to inform South African policymakers. Prospective producers of biofuels about the potential socio-economic returns from producing biofuels at a commercial level through a structured rapid review of the literature differs from the peer-reviewed studies to date in South Africa, which focussed more on assessing the economic viability and environmental impacts of biofuels production. The systematic review methodology was used. About 48% of the published empirical studies reviewed integrated the socio-economic and environmental impact assessment, followed by studies that only examined the social impacts of biofuel (about 26%), about 15% of the studies examined economic impact only, and 11.54% examined the socio-economic impact. The results revealed that although the production of biofuels is associated with a positive socio-economic benefit, the biofuel industry is not viable without government support and the selling price of biofuel is not competitive relative to gasoline and petroleum alternatives. Lastly, the results revealed a need for more objective empirical studies in South Africa that can quantify the economy-wide implications of biofuels (especially second-generation biofuels) production. Only two (n = 2) of the 28 reviewed studies were conducted in South Africa from 28 studies reviewed. Both studies conducted in South Africa were feasibility studies focusing more on bioethanol; no study quantified the economy-wide impacts. The study recommends the implementation of the biofuels support mechanism by the government. Furthermore, amendments to the existing biofuels regulatory framework are recommended in order to support the production of advanced biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of oxidative desulfurization and hydrotreating allows, involving heavy oil fractions and fractions of secondary processes, obtaining motor fuels that comply with the regulations of the Russian Federation. For fuel samples with different sulfur content, we performed experiments to determine sulfur content, hydrocarbon-type, sulfur- and nitrogen-containing composition of compounds. The research shows that preliminary oxidative desulfurization decreases the content of heteroatomic and polyaromatic compounds. Thus, it is reasonable to combine these processes for fractions with an initial sulfur content of more than 0.200 mass%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for automotive applications suffer from cathode corrosion problems due to the sudden potential jump caused by unintended air leakage into the anodic flow field during start-up and shut-down (SU/SD) events. Here, we report a solution to the instantaneous potential jump issue during SU/SD events by imparting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity to the PEMFC cathodic catalyst to preferentially promote OER and suppress the unwanted carbon oxidation reaction at the cathode. In the newly developed Ru-on-Pt/C electrocatalyst, the small particle size of sputtered Ru and the Ru–Pt interaction significantly improve activity–stability for OER and prevent corrosion in cathode by preemptively consuming electrons related to the potential jump. Membrane electrode assemblies constructed using Ru-on-Pt/C showed an extraordinary (98 %) performance retention after repeating the SU/SD protocol test 100 times, demonstrating unprecedented state-of-the-art durability. [Display omitted] • First trial applying Ru to full-cell PEMFC, overcoming instability, protecting cathode via OER. • Unprecedented durability, maintaining 98 % performance after 100 SU/SD cycles. • Implementation of stability improvement effect through size effect of Ru and formation of Ru-Pt bond. • Our approach reduces material cost by minimizing precious metals and using PVD techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation is a major emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States accounting for 27% of the country’s emissions, second only to the electricity sector. As a result, reducing GHG emissions are essential for mitigating some of the most damaging potential impacts associated with climate change and because of the importance and relative size of the transportation sector, it would need to contribute a significant amount of emissions reduction.This report describes the development and use of an U.S. energy system optimization model (US-TIMES) in order to analyze the reductions in GHG emissions that can come about through policy targets.  These policy targets induce technology investments and operation in order to satisfy the demand for energy services and environmental policy constraints (notably GHG emission targets).The model development focused on two key areas within the transportation sector, light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles.  In the light-duty space, we incorporated consumer choice elements into the energy system optimization framework through increasing consumer heterogeneity and adding non-monetary decision factors such as risk and fueling inconvenience.  For heavy-duty vehicles, we adopt a segmentation approach and update vehicle cost and performance assumptions from our recent work. The model is used to project scenarios for low carbon futures from a reference scenario all the way to an 80% GHG reduction target.View the NCST Project Webpage

Diesel fuel stability can be considered from many points of view, of which the two considered most important are stability in contact with the environment and internal stability. Fuel stability in touch with the environment is often defined as oxidation stability, of which measurement procedures are well developed. The presented paper shows that fuel's internal stability can also be important. The internal stability of diesel fuel with the local use of thermal and ultraviolet radiation (UV) as degradation factors and fluorescence signals as a probe is presented in this paper. We show that the internal degradation of fuel with temperature use differs from that with UV and simultaneous both factors use. Our study shows that using temperature as a degradation factor introduces significant fluorescence fading. Moreover, the fluorescence signal restores significantly later than the sample stabilizes at room temperature. The novelty proposed based on examination is hybrid degradation and an examination cycle that enables the simultaneous use of degradation factors and fluorescence reading. For this purpose, a dedicated measurement setup of signal control and processing was constructed and programmed. The measurement procedure of the data series for specific wavelength enables calculation of signal shifts that allow the internal stability classification of diesel fuel samples in less than 30 min with the cost of a single disposable capillary probe and one polymer plug. Premium and regular fuel examination results show that internal fuel stability can be related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentrations and can be modified with dedicated additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proposes the use of operational dielectric control system to increase the efficiency of operation of automatic compounding of motor fuels. These plants are used at oil refining enterprises in Ukraine and are an integral part of the technological chain of the commercial fuels production. It is established that all the main components and additives used for the production of commercial gasoline brands A-92, A-95 and A-98 have higher values (εmix) than straight run base gasoline. And this, in turn, can be used for operational control of the gasoline compounding process. This control can be carried out on the basis of the information received from capacitive sensors which are located in pipelines of the main material streams. Moreover, the control is carried out on the content of components (X, %) or on the value of the octane number (ON, point) of the mixture on the basis of experimentally obtained dependences 𝜀𝜀mix = 𝑓𝑓(𝑋𝑋) and ОN = 𝑓𝑓(𝜀𝜀mix). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual fuzzy control strategy is proposed for the complex energy management problem in a multi-energy-source hybrid power system vehicle with fuel cell + Li-ion battery + super capacitor. According to the efficiency characteristic of each energy source in a fuel cell hybrid power system (referred to as FCHPS), a control scheme with a dual fuzzy control strategy is devised, in which the main fuzzy controller controls the fuel cell to ensure its power output. It is controlled by a sub-fuzzy controller that regulates the power output and braking energy recovery of the Li-ion battery and super capacitor. Simulation verification and comparative analysis were carried out under a world light vehicle test cycle (referred to as WLTC) conditions using MATLAB+ADVISOR. With a dual fuzzy control strategy, fuel cell hybrid vehicles meet dynamics requirements and the fuel economy of these vehicles is generally 6.7% and 6.4% better than power following control and single fuzzy control, respectively. Li-ion batteries are also capable of handling reduced average currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]