IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v335y2025ics0360544225035248.html

Sustainable aviation fuel blends in aircraft piston engine: Comparative analysis of 30 % vs. 50 % SAF on combustion performance and emission reduction

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Longfei
  • Zafar, Aaqib
  • Zhong, Shenghui
  • Pan, Kang
  • Wang, Minghua
  • Fan, Yukun
  • Zhang, Yang
  • Shi, Wentao
  • Xu, Zheng

Abstract

The integration of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blends into heavy-fuel aircraft piston engines (HF-APE) offers a strategic pathway to decarbonizing propulsion systems in general aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This study presents a comprehensive comparison of combustion behavior and emission characteristics for SAF-biodiesel and SAF-RP-3 blends, utilizing a hybrid experimental-simulation approach. Emissions were measured according to ICAO Annex 16 protocols using precision instrumentation at varying engine speeds. A validated simulation model accurately replicated combustion, gas exchange, and pollutant formation processes. The 50 % SAF +50 % RP-3 blend exhibited the best emission profile, reducing carbon monoxide (CO) by up to 63 % and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) by 75 % compared to biodiesel-dominant blends. In contrast, the 30 % SAF +70 % biodiesel blend resulted in a 19 % increase in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Particle size distribution (PSD) analysis showed that RP-3 blends reduced nucleation-mode particles by 30–40 % and total particulate matter (PM) emissions by 38 %. Microscopic examination revealed that RP-3-derived particulates were finer, denser, and less porous, suggesting more complete combustion. A notable strength of this study is the integrated use of differential mobility spectrometer (DMS 500) and environmental scanning electron microscope (eSEM) for comprehensive particulate characterization. Simulations revealed that the 50 % SAF +50 % RP-3 blend achieved superior intake (∼10.7 g/s), exhaust (∼13.8 g/s) mass flow rates, brake power (∼81 kW), fuel efficiency (∼217 g/kWh), and a 28 % reduction in CO2 emissions. These findings suggest that SAF-enhanced RP-3 fuels offer significant potential for improving HF-APE performance and sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Longfei & Zafar, Aaqib & Zhong, Shenghui & Pan, Kang & Wang, Minghua & Fan, Yukun & Zhang, Yang & Shi, Wentao & Xu, Zheng, 2025. "Sustainable aviation fuel blends in aircraft piston engine: Comparative analysis of 30 % vs. 50 % SAF on combustion performance and emission reduction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:335:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225035248
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.137882
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225035248
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.137882?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Balli, Ozgur, 2022. "Thermodynamic, thermoenvironmental and thermoeconomic analyses of piston-prop engines (PPEs) for landing and take-off (LTO) flight phases," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    2. Chen, Guisheng & Sun, Min & Li, Junda & Wang, Jiguang & Shen, Yinggang & Liang, Daping & Xiao, Renxin, 2024. "Study on high-altitude ceiling strategy of compression ignition aviation piston engines based on BP-NSGA II algorithm optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    3. Balli, Ozgur & Kale, Utku & Rohács, Dániel & Hikmet Karakoc, T., 2022. "Environmental damage cost and exergoenvironmental evaluations of piston prop aviation engines for the landing and take-off flight phases," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    4. Gunerhan, Ali & Altuntas, Onder & Caliskan, Hakan, 2023. "Utilization of renewable and sustainable aviation biofuels from waste tyres for sustainable aviation transport sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    5. Bullerdiek, Nils & Neuling, Ulf & Kaltschmitt, Martin, 2021. "A GHG reduction obligation for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the EU and in Germany," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    6. Liu, Jinlong & Dumitrescu, Cosmin E., 2019. "Single and double Wiebe function combustion model for a heavy-duty diesel engine retrofitted to natural-gas spark-ignition," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C), pages 95-103.
    7. Pengfei Liu & Mijung Song & Tianning Zhao & Sachin S. Gunthe & Suhan Ham & Yipeng He & Yi Ming Qin & Zhaoheng Gong & Juliana C. Amorim & Allan K. Bertram & Scot T. Martin, 2018. "Resolving the mechanisms of hygroscopic growth and cloud condensation nuclei activity for organic particulate matter," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. Akdeniz, Halil Yalcin, 2022. "Landing and take-off (LTO) flight phase performances of various piston-prop aviation engines in terms of energy, exergy, irreversibility, aviation, sustainability and environmental viewpoints," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    9. Ng, Kok Siew & Farooq, Danial & Yang, Aidong, 2021. "Global biorenewable development strategies for sustainable aviation fuel production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    10. Remigiusz Jasiński & Radosław Przysowa, 2024. "Evaluating the Impact of Using HEFA Fuel on the Particulate Matter Emissions from a Turbine Engine," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-11, February.
    11. Zhao, Rongchao & Li, Weihua & Zhuge, Weilin & Zhang, Yangjun & Yin, Yong, 2017. "Numerical study on steam injection in a turbocompound diesel engine for waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 506-518.
    12. Grote, Matt & Pilko, Aliaksei & Scanlan, James & Cherrett, Tom & Dickinson, Janet & Smith, Angela & Oakey, Andrew & Marsden, Greg, 2022. "Sharing airspace with Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Views of the General Aviation (GA) community," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    13. Ramozon Khujamberdiev & Haeng Muk Cho, 2024. "Biofuels in Aviation: Exploring the Impact of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Aircraft Engines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-17, May.
    14. Chen Zhang & Lei Luo & Wei Chen & Fei Yang & Gang Luo & Junming Xu, 2022. "Experimental Investigation on the Performance of an Aviation Piston Engine Fueled with Bio-Jet Fuel Prepared via Thermochemical Conversion of Triglyceride," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, April.
    15. Xu, Yuchen & Sun, Min & Chen, Guisheng & Xiao, Renxin & Gong, Hang & Yang, Jie & Yang, Sen, 2025. "Multi-objective optimization of variable altitude high-dimensional compression-ignition aviation piston engine based on Kriging model and NSGA-III," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    16. Zhao, Zhenfeng & Cui, Huasheng, 2022. "Numerical investigation on combustion processes of an aircraft piston engine fueled with aviation kerosene and gasoline," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    17. Chen, Longfei & Ding, Shirun & Liu, Haoye & Lu, Yiji & Li, Yanfei & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2017. "Comparative study of combustion and emissions of kerosene (RP-3), kerosene-pentanol blends and diesel in a compression ignition engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 91-100.
    18. Chuck, Christopher J. & Donnelly, Joseph, 2014. "The compatibility of potential bioderived fuels with Jet A-1 aviation kerosene," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 83-91.
    19. Cruz, José Ramón Serrano & López, J. Javier & Climent, Héctor & Gómez-Vilanova, Alejandro, 2023. "Method for turbocharging and supercharging 2-stroke engines, applied to an opposed-piston new concept for hybrid powertrains," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    20. Zhou, Yu & Li, Xueyu & Geng, Tai & Shao, Longtao & Xu, Zheng & Zhong, Zhiming & Zhu, Kun & Song, Yue & Ding, Shuiting, 2025. "Piston engine energy utilization for variable-altitude applications: A review of two-stage turbocharging technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yang, Langjian & Lei, Jilin & Wang, Dongfang & Deng, Xiwen & Wang, Baojian & Sun, Liang, 2025. "Experimental and numerical investigation on mixture formation, ignition, combustion and emission characteristics of aviation piston engines during cold-start under variable altitudes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    2. Xu, Yuchen & Sun, Min & Chen, Guisheng & Xiao, Renxin & Gong, Hang & Yang, Jie & Yang, Sen, 2025. "Multi-objective optimization of variable altitude high-dimensional compression-ignition aviation piston engine based on Kriging model and NSGA-III," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    3. Balli, Ozgur & Kale, Utku & Rohács, Dániel & Hikmet Karakoc, T., 2022. "Environmental damage cost and exergoenvironmental evaluations of piston prop aviation engines for the landing and take-off flight phases," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    4. Song, Yue & Zhou, Yu & Zhao, Shuai & Du, Fa-rong & Li, Xue-yu & Zhu, Kun & Yan, Huan-song & Xu, Zheng & Ding, Shui-ting, 2024. "Cyclic coupling and working characteristics analysis of a novel combined cycle engine concept for aviation applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    5. Lingfeng, Zhong & Siyu, Liu & Rui, Liu & Yufeng, Chen & Jing, Li & Xiaodong, Miao, 2025. "Mixture formation characteristics and comprehensive evaluation of a biodiesel-fueled spark ignition aviation piston engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    6. Yang, Qinghan & Wei, Mingliang & Su, Jie & Duan, Yu & Zhu, Jingyu, 2025. "Multi-objective optimization of hybrid agricultural powertrain via crowding-adaptive NSGA-II with dynamic population control," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    7. Chen, Ruotian & Yang, Hangjun & Wang, Kun & Jiang, Changmin, 2024. "Impacts of a sustainable aviation fuel mandate on airline competition — Full-service carrier vs. low-cost carrier," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    8. Liu, Guibin & Ruan, Can & Li, Zilong & Huang, Guan & Zhou, Qiyan & Qian, Yong & Lu, Xingcai, 2020. "Investigation of engine performance for alcohol/kerosene blends as in spark-ignition aviation piston engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    9. He, Xin & Wang, Ning & Zhou, Qiaoqiao & Huang, Jun & Ramakrishna, Seeram & Li, Fanghua, 2024. "Smart aviation biofuel energy system coupling with machine learning technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    10. Balli, Ozgur, 2023. "Exergetic, sustainability and environmental assessments of a turboshaft engine used on helicopter," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    11. Chen, Guisheng & Sun, Min & Li, Junda & Wang, Jiguang & Shen, Yinggang & Liang, Daping & Xiao, Renxin, 2024. "Study on high-altitude ceiling strategy of compression ignition aviation piston engines based on BP-NSGA II algorithm optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    12. Balli, Ozgur & Karakoc, T. Hikmet, 2022. "Exergetic, exergoeconomic, exergoenvironmental damage cost and impact analyses of an aircraft turbofan engine(ATFE)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    13. Ershov, Mikhail A. & Savelenko, Vsevolod D. & Burov, Nikita O. & Makhova, Uliana A. & Mukhina, Daria Y. & Aleksanyan, David R. & Kapustin, Vladimir M. & Lobashova, Marina M. & Sereda, Alexander V. & A, 2023. "An incorporating innovation and new interactive technology into obtaining sustainable aviation fuels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    14. Peng, Xuelian & Fu, Nan & Lei, Yali & Li, Zekun & Cao, Mulin & Wang, Jinze & Chen, Yuanchen & Qin, Yiming & Chang, Zhaofeng & Li, Hao & Zhang, Peng & Du, Wei & Pan, Bo, 2026. "High value utilization of biomass: Moving towards a carbon neutrality future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 226(PE).
    15. Xu, Yuchao & Zhang, Yahua & Deng, Xin & Lee, Seung-Yong & Wang, Kun & Li, Linbo, 2025. "Bibliometric analysis and literature review on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): Economic and management perspective," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 296-312.
    16. Gunerhan, Ali & Altuntas, Onder & Caliskan, Hakan, 2024. "Analyzing the influence of feedstock selection in pyrolysis on aviation gas turbine engines: A study on performance, combustion efficiency, and emission profiles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    17. Abdalla, Muftah S.M. & Balli, Ozgur & Adali, Osama H. & Korba, Peter & Kale, Utku, 2023. "Thermodynamic, sustainability, environmental and damage cost analyses of jet fuel starter gas turbine engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    18. Chen, Guisheng & Dai, Ru & Kong, Weilong & Bi, Yuhua & Xiao, Renxin & Yang, Jie, 2025. "Influence of injection timing and water-to-fuel ratio coupling on combustion characteristics and piston thermal load of jet fuel engines at variable altitudes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    19. Raji, Abdulwasiu Muhammed & Manescau, Brady & Chetehouna, Khaled & Ekomy Ango, Serge & Ogabi, Raphael, 2025. "Performance and spray characteristics of fossil JET A-1 and bioJET fuel: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    20. Çalışır, Duran & Ekici, Selcuk & Midilli, Adnan & Karakoc, T. Hikmet, 2023. "Benchmarking environmental impacts of power groups used in a designed UAV: Hybrid hydrogen fuel cell system versus lithium-polymer battery drive system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:335:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225035248. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.