Research activities: Department of Petroleum Technology and Alternative Fuels

Present research activities of the department are focused on transport and storage of crude oil, evaluation of lubricating oils, improvement of motor fuels, development and optimization of procedures for an analysis of crude oil, crude oil fractions and products and also biofuels. Standard exhaust emissions and emissions of individual types of hydrocarbons are also measured at the combustion of liquid as well as gaseous motor fuels. Decomposition of waste plastics into fuels and petrochemicals is another research topic studied.

• New environmentally friendly lubricants and research of properties of advanced engine and gear oils. 
• A monitoring of quality and lifetime of engine oils in long term operation. 

• Catalytic hydrotreating of middle crude oil distillates used for diesel fuel blending.
• Evaluation of motor fuels containing biocomponents (gasoline with bioethanol or biobutanol, diesel with methyl or ethyl ester of fatty acids).

• Detailed analyses of gasoline, middle distillates and high-boiling petroleum fractions and residues using GC, HPLC, LSC, MS and NMR.
• Evaluation of properties of alternative motor fuels, mainly bioethanol, biobutanol, fatty acid methyl esters and fractions from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. 

 Analysis of organic substances in emissions from automobile internal combustion engines

• Detailed analysis of standard exhaust emissions (CxHy, CO, NOx and particulate matter) and emissions of individual types of hydrocarbons (including aromatics, polyaromatics and aldehydes) from combustion of conventional (gasoline, Diesel) and alternative (methane, LPG, bioethanol, biodiesel) fuels during driving test cycle. 

• Visbreaking of petroleum vacuum residue with polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and other waste plastics.

Contact:

doc. Ing. Josef Blažek, CSc.
Tel. +420220443811,
e-mail: Milan.Pospisil@vscht.cz

Internet: www.vscht.cz/trp