DMF shows favorable characteristics as an effective cold-start fuel

The gasoline-alternative biofuel candidate 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) demonstrates favorable characteristics to be an effective cold-start fuel, according to a new study comparing the ignition timing sensitivities of oxygenated biofuels to gasoline in a direct-injection engine, published in the journal Fuel. The study by a team from the University of Birmingham and Newcastle University (UK) and Tsinghua University (China) examined DMF, ethanol, butanol and methanol. The researchers focused on combustion performance and emissions sensitivity around the optimum spark timing, especially at 10 crank angle degrees retard. Such spark retard strategies are commonly used to reduce catalyst light-off times, albeit at the cost of reduced engine performance and increased CO2.