Biodiesel in modern EU stage IV diesel engines for agriculture and forestry

The University of Rostock is investigating the technical feasibility

Berlin, 9th April 2015. A future in which fields are still tilled using biodiesel from rapeseed oil that is certified as sustainable – that is the objective of the project funded by the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL) through the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) and by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) now being started at the University of Rostock.

The idea behind the project is that the agricultural sector supplies its own operating power using the oil source rapeseed. Rapeseed is currently being grown on more that 1.3 million hectares of land. One hectare of rapeseed provides around 1,600 litres of rapeseed oil for the production of biodiesel – enough to cultivate 18 to 20 hectares. Rapeseed oil extraction also generates around 2,400 kg of rapeseed meal, which is a valuable indigenous source of protein for animal feed. The use of biodiesel in agriculture and forestry is exempt from tax, which means it will be particularly interesting from an economic point of view if crude oil prices rise again in the future.

The current obstacle standing in the way of more widespread use of biodiesel is the lack of manufacturer authorisations for modern EU emissions stage IV engines. Authorisations currently available are only applicable for vehicles up to emissions stages IIIB, IIIA or II. In order to pave the way for manufacturers, the University of Rostock plans to investigate the basic performance characteristics of biodiesel in stage IV engines. This will be done with the support of DEUTZ, the Cologne-based producer of industrial and agricultural engines. Here the Rostock scientists' primary area of focus is biodiesel. In the project, which will run to the end of 2016, they are above all researching the effects of biofuels on exhaust aftertreatment systems (EAT) as these systems constitute the main difference between emissions stages III and IV. An important question in this context is whether and to what degree the EAT systems are deactivated by trace elements such as P, K, Na and Ca contained in the fuels. This is to be investigated using a modern engine from the DEUTZ TCD 3.6 L4 series in a 1,000 hour engine endurance test as part of a non-road transient cycle test. Further tests encompass, amongst other things, the ISO standardised C1 test cycle for diesel vehicles and a stationary motor test in forklift cycle. The latter simulates operations in the low-load range, which agricultural machines often perform. The examination of on-board diagnosis systems (OBD), which monitor all vehicle functions relevant to emissions, will also form part of the project.

In this way, the work at the University of Rostock is able to pave the way for manufacturer authorisations for biodiesel in agricultural and forestry machinery and thus also make a contribution to climate protection and the development of rural areas.