Use of Light Naphtha in Heavy-Duty Compression Ignition Engines – Analysis of Engine Performance, Emissions, and Economics

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-15-2025

Publisher

Elsevier

Source Publication

Fuel

Source ISSN

0016-2361

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2025.134917

Abstract

The most pragmatic and impactful way to reduce GHG emissions from heavy-duty engines in the near term is to use lower lifecycle GHG fuels which are compatible with existing infrastructure. Light naphtha requires very little refinery processing and thus its production and distribution (well-to-tank) CO2 emissions are ∼70 % lower than fossil ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. Additionally, due to the higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, light naphtha has ∼10 % lower tailpipe (tank-to-wheels) CO2 emissions compared to diesel fuel. Based on economic modelling, light naphtha has the potential to be ∼5 to 25 % easier to produce than gasoline on an energy basis, providing a meaningful reduction in the total cost of ownership for fleet operators when compared to diesel fuel. Due to its fuel properties and economics, light naphtha also has potential to be an attractive alternative fuel for heavy-duty compression ignition engines to reduce criteria pollutants, GHG emissions, and operating costs. In this work, engine experiments were conducted to understand light naphtha’s performance and emissions compared to diesel fuel. It was determined that at light engine loads, due to the high volatility and low fuel reactivity of light naphtha, partially premixed combustion was achievable resulting in a ∼80 % to 99 % reduction in soot at equal NOx while observing improvements in efficiency compared to diesel combustion. The challenge at light load is developing an injection strategy that has acceptable levels of combustion noise with light naphtha. At higher engine loads, the fuel property differences are not as apparent and the combustion process between light naphtha and diesel fuel is more similar, which is predominately mixing-controlled. Regardless, due to the physical and chemical properties of light naphtha, soot emissions are reduced by ∼50 % to 80 % compared to diesel fuel, while achieving similar engine efficiency and combustion noise.

Comments

Fuel, Vol. 394 (August 15, 2025). DOI.

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