Clean combustion

Reducing carbon footprint and pollutant emissions are two of the main challenges the transport industry is facing.  Increasing the use of renewable and clean fuels in transport is the target set by the UK and EU governments. A major criterion for the promotion of alternative fuels is sustainability, i.e. low CO2 and pollutant emissions, affordable and available. We collaborate with fuels producers and suppliers, engine manufactures, fleet operators working at solutions to provide a sustainable, environmentally friendly transport energy sources for transport.

Our research at Leeds includes:

• Combustion and emission performance of fuels in engines. The research investigates of the impact of fuel quality and properties on the ignition properties, combustion stability and efficiency, thermal efficiencies, exhaust emissions and aftertreatment technology. Hydrogen for transport is also a topic under investigation. The industrial partners include FPT Motorenforschung AG (IVECO), Shell, NESTE oil, Caterpillar and Barry Slavin fund. 
• Real world driving emissions. This is to address the challenges that tailpipe emissions from real world driving are underestimated and thus their impact on air quality is not properly assessed. The research is world leading and academics and PhD researchers have been invited to give talks at various national and international conferences. The work is collaborated with Horiba UK and AVL UK. 
• Emission reduction and monitoring. The research undertaken in this area includes the development of low cost catalyst for exhaust emission reductions (with a UK patent), novel techniques for air pollutant monitoring such as aldehydes, emissions from trains and their impact on air quality in train depots and stations. The projects are funded by EU, EPSRC and industry (4-Rail Services Ltd, Northern Rail) and Innovate UK and collaborated with TfL.

Current funded projects in this area:

• Investigation of the emissions from diesel powered trains and their impacts on air quality and the role of biofuels – Northern Rail
• Development of the methods for measuring aldehydes in a confined space in a diesel engine environment – 4-Rail Services Ltd
• Investigate pathways for using hydrogen as a fuel for transport – Barry Slavin fund
• A novel, low cost catalyst for diesel exhaust (LowCat) –  EU and STFC IAA.