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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Reducing Transportation Fire Risk Through Carbon Dot Addition for Diesel Fuels</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2706036</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Diesel fuel is essential to freight transportation across the United States and is transported in large volumes by pipeline, tanker truck, and rail. During transportation accidents such as highway collisions, tanker rollovers, and rail derailments, released diesel fuel can ignite and produce high-consequence fires that threaten motorists, infrastructure, first responders, and nearby communities. Current safety strategies focus primarily on vehicle and containment design rather than reducing the intrinsic flammability of the transported fuel.
This project evaluates a fuel-level fire mitigation strategy through the use of carbon dot nanoparticles as fire-limiting additives in diesel fuel. The research will experimentally quantify ignition delay, flame persistence, burning behavior, and extinction characteristics using droplet-scale combustion testing representative of accidental spill and spray conditions. In parallel, the study will assess suspension stability and compatibility of carbon dot–diesel mixtures to ensure practical storage, handling, and transportation performance. The objective is to identify additive concentrations that measurably reduce fire risk without degrading fuel performance.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 18:02:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2706036</guid>
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      <title>Potential Use of Renewable Diesel for Transportation in Texas and its Environmental Impacts under Uncertainties Caused by COVID-19</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1904909</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Compared to biodiesel, renewable diesel is a relatively new biofuel that can also be used for diesel vehicles. Some advantages of renewable diesel over biodiesel are no special requirements for the vehicle, cold startup, and fuel storage. There is no renewable diesel plant in Texas, and no action is being considered on renewable diesel application for Texas’ transportation. The proposed project would address this critical gap and develop environmental life cycle and cost assessments to produce renewable diesel in Texas and its local applications in transportation. A novel and key component of this work would be the development of a decision-making tool that would help determine where the renewable diesel processing plant should be built. Life cycle emissions of renewable diesel used for short-haul and long-haul trucking in Texas will be evaluated with the GREET model, a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool. Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of renewable diesel production in Texas will also be carried out with the consideration for some uncertainties of seasonal bioresource availability, transportation, and fuel production. The decision-making tool developed in this study would help the biofuel industry to make the decision on the development of renewable diesel in Texas. Faculty working on this research will integrate LCA as an important focus area for all senior and graduate-level civil and environmental engineering courses. These students will also be introduced to the techniques of well-to-wheel analysis and production cost evaluation for renewable fuels.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:45:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1904909</guid>
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      <title>Hydrogen Injection in Diesel Fuel Project</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1315721</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project scope is to evaluate Hydrogen Injection into Diesel fuels in marine vessels as an emissions reduction technology. The company Global Marine Consulting (GMC) is developing the hydrogen injection system for use in marine vessel and will supply the hardware to be tested in this effort. Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) will test the hydrogen injection system both in laboratory diesel engines and in MMA work vessels under at-sea conditions. The project will evaluate this technology as an emission reduction and mitigation system for use in heavy marine engines as found in marine, rail and stationary power application such as pipeline pumping stations. Preliminary testing by GMC has showed that hydrogen injected into diesel fuel can significantly reduce NO&amp;#8339; and Particulate Matter. The system generates hydrogen using shipboard electrical power typically available on a marine vessel. The project will evaluate both emissions as well as engine performance using the system, including effects on vessel operating costs. The project will evaluate the GMC hydrogen injection system for emissions and vessel performance in the MMA R/V Quickwater, a 41 foot coast Guard fast response vessel, that is specially equipped for high fidelity emissions and performance testing. The vessel has twin Diesel engines allowing side by side comparison testing under at sea conditions. Multiple Fuels can be switched over to each engine in real time for each engine while underway, allowing unbiased comparison between two fuels simultaneously.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2014 01:01:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1315721</guid>
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      <title>Environmental Policy and Environmental Protection: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Impact of Governmental Policies on CO2 Emissions in OECD Countries, 1990-2003</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1236688</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Despite clear evidence that carbon dioxide emissions have contributed significantly to global climate change, there exist few studies examining the effect of governmental policies on the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) including carbon dioxide (CO2). The study proposed here will address this lacuna in the literature by using longitudinal regression analysis to assess the effects of governmental policies on CO2 emissions in developed countries, relying on data from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the years 1990 through 2003. Policies targeting the transportation sector figure prominently in this analysis. In particular, this research examines the impact each of the following policies have had on CO2 emissions: the adoption of fuel mileage standards, the levying of "green" taxes on petroleum and diesel fuels, investment in public transportation and the road and rail infrastructure, and the channeling of research and development funds toward the development of alternative fuels.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:51:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1236688</guid>
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