Assessment of the possibility of using hydrotreated vegetable oil as fuel in marine diesel engines

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Published: Jan 25, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47049/2226-1893-2025-4-81-96
Keywords:
alternative fuel, hydrogenated vegetable oil, environmental perfor- mance, marine diesel, maritime transport, thermal stress

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S. Sagin
National University «Odesa Maritime Academy», Odesa, Ukraine
О. Kuropyatnyk
National University «Odesa Maritime Academy», Odesa, Ukraine

Abstract

The possibility of using hydrogenated vegetable oil as fuel in marine diesel engines has been considered. It has been determined that the coincidence of viscosity, density and flash point of marine motor fuels of petroleum origin and hydrogenated vegetable oil allows its use in marine diesel engines without additional conversion of the fuel system. The assessment of the possibility of using hydrogenated vegetable oil as fuel in marine diesel engines was carried out on three identical ship medium-speed diesel engines 5ML225 of the CSSC Marine Power Co., Ltd. During the experiments, each diesel engine was operated on a separate type of fuel – petroleum RME180 and DMA10, as well as on hydrogenated vegetable oil. The ship's energy consumption was organized in such a way that all three diesel engines were in operation. At the same time, the total load changed at different time intervals, but was equally distributed between the diesel engines. This, as well as the same cooling and lubrication modes of diesel engines, ensured the coincidence of their operating conditions and guaranteed the correctness of the research. The technical condition and settings of the high-pressure fuel equipment for all three diesel engines were the same. It has been experimentally proven that the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil as fuel for marine diesel engines in comparison with marine motor fuels of petroleum origin leads to an improvement in the quality of the working cycle, combustion intensity and heat release in the cylinder, as evidenced by a decrease in the exhaust gas temperature by 11-25 ° С; a decrease in vapor formation during fuel combustion and cooling of the cylinder group, which is reflected in a decrease in the content of metal impurities in the circulating oil by 2,5-9,0 mg/kg; an increase in environmental performance, which is confirmed by a decrease in the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gases by 0,17-0,89 g/(kW⋅h). The use of hydrogenated vegetable oil as fuel for marine diesel engines is possible at any load modes.

Article Details

How to Cite
Sagin, S., & KuropyatnykО. (2026). Assessment of the possibility of using hydrotreated vegetable oil as fuel in marine diesel engines. Herald of the Odessa National Maritime University, (78), 81-96. https://doi.org/10.47049/2226-1893-2025-4-81-96
Issue
No 78 (2025): Herald of the Odessa National Maritime University
Section
Technical problems of operation of ship power and electrical power equipment
Author Biographies

S. Sagin, National University «Odesa Maritime Academy», Odesa, Ukraine

Dr. of Eng., professor, Head of the department «Ship’s Power Plants»

О. Kuropyatnyk, National University «Odesa Maritime Academy», Odesa, Ukraine

PhD, doctoral student of the department «Ship’s Power Plants»

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