How to make a diesel more efficient & cleaner? – Run it on petrol (gasoline) (video)

All other things being equal, diesels get better fuel economy than petrol engines. This is due, in part, to very high compression ratios – 18 or 20 to 1 or higher. Less widely known is that a litre of diesel contains more energy than a litre of petrol. Greater energy density equals less litres for the same trip, but gives an exaggerated impression of energy efficiency.

Also less well known is that a litre of diesel contains more carbon than a litre of petrol. This is responsible for the obvious particulate matter in diesel exhaust. High carbon level also causes elevated carbon dioxide emissons.

So, although the fuel cost of running a diesel vehicle will be less, air quality will be inferior.

Professor Bengt Johnasson at Lund University, Sweden has in development a diesel engine which uses petrol & a modified injection system to improve both emissions & efficiency. Sixty percent fuel efficiency, & emmissions so low that a catalytic converter will not be required, are hoped for.

Caveat emptor: fuel efficiency figures quoted above & in the linked movie & article are for laboratory conditions. Expect lower efficiency in real world driving.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090617_gasoline-fueled-diesel-truck-engine-cuts-fuel-use-emissions / diesel engine more efficient efficiency gasoline research researching researchers Sweden Sweden's Lund University reduce reduced cut fuel use emissions heavy duty heavy-duty trucks truck Lund's experimental engine different combustion process Partially Premixed Combustion PPC researchers increase large truck's fuel efficiency 50 percent two fuel injections injection each combustion ratio varied changed behavior of the combustion control of ignition delay time between fuel injection combustion fuel is burned more efficiently tough tractor trailer Bengt Johnasson Lund professor internal combustion engines ICE process particulate NOx emissions production engine catalytic converter current test engine operates operation 50 percent efficiency 40 percent standard diesel engines further testing 60 percent efficiency more efficient more-efficient engine large trucks truck big impact overall emissions vehicle fleet produce disproportionate amount of emissions Environmental Protection Agency EPA develop new fuel-efficiency rules medium heavy duty heavy-duty trucks efficiency class vehicle rules new standards big trucks truck Corporate Average Fuel Economy CAFE standards passenger vehicles /