CHE 598 Seminar
About the event
Dr. Daniel Gaspar helps lead the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) consortium. Dr. Gaspar works with leaders from three other national laboratories to coordinate the efforts of nine national laboratories aimed at increasing the efficiency of light- and heavy-duty vehicles in order to reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions. This is accomplished by identifying target values of critical fuel properties and biomass-derived blendstocks which can deliver them. Dr. Gaspar is a chemist with research leadership experience on a number of clean energy topics at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Previously, Dr. Gaspar spent two stints detailed to the U.S. Department of Energy to help provide oversight and develop policies to improve the effectiveness of the DOE national laboratories. Dr. Gaspar has served for ten years as a group manager, leading efforts to develop organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), battery materials and separations materials. Dr. Gaspar has published 1 book and more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He serves as the Governance Chair for the AVS, and has previously served as the Chair of the Applied Surface Science Division of the AVS and ASTM E42 Committee on Surface Analysis. Dr. Gaspar received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Chemistry from Duke University.
An Overview of the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines Initiative
More efficient engines enabled by better fuels derived from biomass could increase the fuel economy of the light duty fleet by 10% over current technology and planned developments, with lower life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. This presentation describes the efforts of the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative to identify target values of critical fuel properties that reduce emissions and increase efficiency. For turbocharged, spark-ignited engines, six blendstocks that can be derived from biomass, including four alcohols, one alkene and one mixture of alcohols, show the highest potential for efficiency gains with the fewest significant practical barriers to adoption. For diesel boiling-range fuels, a wide range of biomass-derived blendstocks have been identified that can improve two or more critical fuel properties (cetane number, soot production potential, energy density and cold weather operability). These were determined via a tiered selection process, efficiently evaluating candidates where only small volumes are available. The team also evaluated potential environmental and economic impacts of adoption via techno-economic, lifecycle and refinery integration analyses. The results of these analyses indicate substantial potential benefits. The future research planned by Co-Optima and additional research needs will also be described.