Abstract: The alternative fuels used to fuel internal combustion engines are supposed to keep the same output and efficiency as if the engine is supplied with classical fuel. Substituting the fossil fuels by unconventional ones is essential to make oil savings and reduce gas emissions at the same time. This, however, should not affect the engine performance: output, power, chemical and noise emissions, operation costs, easy cold start, safety operation.
Biofuels of different type and properties are currently tested on real test bench engines with regard to their effect on power output, fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions. This action helps identifying the best fuel characteristics as well as the limits in biofuel concentration for which the current engines can operate without problems.
Through the measurements, the impact of biofuel type and concentration on emissions and vehicle operation is quantified for various conditions and representative emissions factors are being developed for future application and policy assessment.
The major research is still on the second generation of biofuels (biofuels produced from agricultural residue and waste materials - biomass), because the problems raised are not completely solved. Only the utilization of biomass allows for the conception of carbon-negative energy; all other renewables (wind, solar) are all carbon-neutral at best, carbon-positive in practice.
A case study referring to mixtures ethanol – gasoline to fuel an internal combustion engine is presented as an application of using biofuels in transports. By replacing a fraction from the fossil fuel with an unconventional fuel, the engine thermoeconomic parameters should be reevaluated.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Dr. Krisztina Uzuneanu graduated Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of University Dunarea de Jos of Galati in 1984 and she obtained the title of Doctor Engineer in 1998.
Since 1987 she followed the academic carrier at Dunarea de Jos University of Galati as assistant, lecturer and associate professor. Dr. Uzuneanu is a visiting professor at different universities: Universidade do Minho, Portugal, Universita degli Studi di Genova, Italy, Universita degli Studi di Salerno, Italy, Pannon University Veszprem, Hungary, Erciyes University Kayseri, Turkey and visitor scientist of of Universidade do Minho Guimaraes, Portugal where she was awarded with a post-doc NATO grant in 2002 - 2003.
Research fields are connected with applied thermodynamics, alternative fuels for internal combustion engines, modeling the thermal stresses of different parts of internal combustion engines and monitoring the emissions. Dr. Uzuneanu published 95 articles in national and internationals conferences proceedings and she is author of 3 books.
The research was done as member of 20 research contracts financed by European Commission and Romanian Ministry of Education and Research and director of 5 research contracts financed by industry.
Dr K. Uzuneanu is member of Romanian Society of Thermodynamics since 1990.