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	SwRI has complete and up-to-date facilities and equipment to perform analytical requirements for alternative fuels and additives.

Unique interdisciplinary approaches to fuel and emissions-related services are used by the automotive engineering staff at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to prepare, analyze, and certify conventional and alternative fuels and additives.

More than 700 qualified engineers, scientists, and technicians bring decades of experience and expertise to each project. SwRI has more than 60 years of research, development, and evaluation experience in fuels and lubricants and more than 30 years in conducting emissions studies, and is:

• Certified to ISO 9001:2008

• Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005

• Registered to ISO 14001:2004

Fuel Analysis and Evaluation

The requirements for diesel fuel properties are specified by standards such as ASTM D975 in the United States and EN 590 in Europe. Biodiesel in the form of alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids must conform to ASTM D6751 specifications. SwRI has full capacity for analysis of conventional and alternative fuel properties required for registration, such as:

Analytical Equipment

SwRI's analytical equipment is state of the art and includes:

• Gas chromatographs with different types of detectors

• Mass spectrometers

• High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with UV/Vis and ion detectors

• Innova gas analyzers

• On-line gas analyzers

• Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers

• UV/Vis spectrometers

• Soxhlet extraction systems

• Vacuum ovens

• Direct filter injection/gas chromatography

Emission Characterization

Emission characterization is required for fuel and additive certification by the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Part 79. Emission characterization capabilities include:

• Regulated emissions

  • Total hydrocarbons

  • Carbon monoxide

  • Oxides of nitrogen

  • Particulate

• Non-regulated emissions

  • Individual hydrocarbons (up to C12)

  • Aldehydes and ketones

  • Alcohols and ethers

  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

  • Nitrated polycyclic aromatic HC (NPAH)

  • Polychlorinated dibenzoxides and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF)

  • Products containing atypical elements

  • Air toxics

  • Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)

  • Greenhouse gases (CO₂, N₂O, CH₄)

Testing and Evaluation Capabilities

• Light-duty vehicle testing

  • Five chassis dynamometers

  • Constant volume sampler (CVS) (100 to 600 cfm)

  • Temperature control (10 to 120° F)

  • Evaporative emissions (SHED)

  • Various driving cycles [Federal Test Procedure (FTP), US06, Highway Fuel Economy Test (HFET), etc.]

• Heavy-duty engine testing

  • 18 emissions test cells

  • Multiple durability cells

  • Test procedures (US FTP Part 86, Europe ECE R49, R24, etc.)

  • Steady state

SwRI Alternative Fuels Center

The Alternative Fuels Center provides specially formulated fuels in quantities ranging from 5 to 5,000 gallons:

• In operation since 1979

• Provides specialty formulated fuel blending

• Offers compositional analysis support

• Includes a fuel storage tank farm

• Supports these clients and more:

  • Private industry

  • Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA)

  • Coordinating Research Council (CRC)

  • Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • Department of Defense (DoD)

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

For more information about our alternative fuel and additive development, characterization, and certification capabilities, or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Robert Fanick at rfanick@swri.org or

(210) 522-2653.

altfuelchar.swri.org

| Emissions R&D | Engine, Emissions & Vehicle Research Division | SwRI Home |

Southwest Research Institute^® (SwRI^®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.

December 28, 2012