Exploring Eco-Friendly Paths: A Comparative Study of Emissions in Medium Speed Diesel Engines Utilizing Alternative Fuels through Simulation Analysis

Abstract

In the ship industry, emissions from marine activities have been shown to influence air quality and climate, with pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and Carbon Dioxide (CO₂). the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented MARPOL Annex VI to reduce emissions from maritime activities, one of which is using alternative fuels. With the need of sustainable energy source of reducing emissions, the evaluation of alternative fuels becomes crucial. This study presents a comparative analysis of performance and environmental emissions from medium speed diesel engines utilizing different fuels, namely Biodiesel (B10-100), Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), and Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO) under various engine speed. the research was carried out using the Diesel-RK application with Internal Combustion Engine simulation that integrates thermodynamics and emission prediction algorithms to accurately represent the combustion process and subsequent pollutant formation. Parameters such as engine load, injection timing, and fuel properties are systematically varied to assess their impact on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), sulfur dioxides (SO₂), and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Results indicate distinct performance and emission profiles for each fuel type in various engine speed. All Biodiesel and ULSFO demonstrates increasing NOₓ emissions compared to HFO with an average of 51.4%. However, they exhibit lower CO₂ and SO₂ compared to HFO with average of 3% for CO₂ and 98.8% for SO₂, this is due to higher oxygen content that can promote more efficient combustion, and both Biodiesel and ULSFO contains lower sulphur content.