Engineering and predicting the environmental impact of H2-O2-enriched liquefied petroleum gas blend for reducing pollutant emissions with high burning potential

Abstract

Abstract A large fraction of global thermal energy demand will remain combustion-based for decades, making the decarbonization of gaseous fuels a critical challenge. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) remains widely used, particularly where rapid electrification is constrained, but its propane–butane composition results in significant carbon emissions. In this study, we demonstrate that controlled reformulation of LPG with hydrogen and stoichiometric oxygen can reduce carbon intensity while preserving combustion performance. LPG-H 2 -O 2 blends were experimentally evaluated through emission measurements (CO 2 , NO, NO x ), burning potential analysis, and a multi-criteria decision matrix. The optimal blend, formulated through LPG replacement with 40% H 2  and O 2 corresponding to 30% of the blend stoichiometric oxygen demand, achieved substantial reductions in CO 2 emissions and LPG consumption while maintaining stable operation.. To assess broader impacts, experimental results were integrated with demographic-based projections of LPG demand across all Brazilian states. Under a full substitution scenario, cumulative avoided emissions could reach ~ 2.9 × 10 8 tons of CO 2 by 2045 without requiring infrastructure changes. These findings highlight hydrogen-assisted LPG reformulation as a scalable decarbonization strategy for combustion-based energy systems.