DME as alternative fuel for compression ignition engines - a review

The ecological issues and the depletion of crude oil, has led the researchers to seeking for non-petroleum based alternative fuels, along with more advanced combustion technologies, and after-treatment systems. The use of clean alternative fuels is the one of the most perspective method that aiming at resolving of the said issues. One of the promising alternative fuels that can be used as a clean high-efficiency compression ignition fuel with reduced of toxic emissions is dimethyl ether (DME). Moreover, it can be produced from various feedstocks such as natural gas, coal, biomass and others. This article describes the properties and the potential of DME application on the combustion and emission reduction characteristics of the compression ignition engines.