TEC4FUELS

TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for conventional and alternative fuels and lubricants and their application in existing and new technologies. As a research service provider, TEC4FUELS is active in the research and development of technical components and products, systems and energy sources as well as their application in the energy market for fuels. This includes the development and implementation of application-oriented hardware-in-the-loop test procedures to determine the functionality and performance of application technologies and fuels. The aim of the investigations is usually to optimise the operational safety and service life of technical components and systems. In addition to test procedures and fuel checks, TEC4FUELS also offers R&D-related consulting and other services. This also includes testing and certification, procurement as well as manufacturing and sales of the products.

TEC4FUELS specializes in application engineering studies of new climate-friendly and low-emission fuels. This includes questions of the physical-chemical properties of the fuels as well as application-related properties, such as fuel aging or the interactions of different new and conventional fuels in blends, as well as aspects of the interaction of fuels with the materials of the components used in the fuel-leading system. The laboratory tests developed by TEC4FUELS provide important parameters for the validation of fuels and components and can replace costly engine tests in the development phase. Their advantage is that they provide valid results with comparatively little technical effort and in significantly less time than engine tests. TEC4FUELS strives to continuously increase this expertise by participating in research projects. For example, TEC4FUELS has participated in the C3-Mobility, Redifuel, Idealfuel, and Namosyn research projects to develop new fuels. By participating in E-TANDEM, TEC4FUELS can expand its test procedures and data collection to Higher Oxygenate E-Fuels (HOEF).

TEC4FUELS is conducting research into the product and application properties of HOEF, which are initially to be manufactured from synthetic substitutes. The relevant plastics and metals of the fuel-leading system of existing vehicles must withstand defined loads in storage and corrosion tests, which can also occur in real-world use. In addition, typical engine components are subjected to forced loads in hardware-in-the-loop tests to gain knowledge about deposits and wear of the components and the aging of HOEF fuels. From the results, it will be possible to derive recommendations for fuel additives to increase component life and retard fuel aging.