Effect of aspect ratio on the performance characteristics of free piston linear generator engine fueled by hydrogen

Free-piston linear generator (FPLG) engines currently gained great attention due to their capability to operate with variable fuel and compression ratio. This paper presents an experimental study on the effect of aspect ratio on the performance characteristics of the FPLG engine fueled by hydrogen. Three aspect ratios (i.e. 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) are used to identify the engine combustion and performance parameters. The injection position is fixed in the middle of the stroke, while the equivalence ratio is kept at 1.0. The results indicate that the aspect ratio 2.0 produces the highest pressure, heat release, and shortest combustion duration. Whereas the aspect ratio 1.0 produces higher combustion efficiency and operating frequency. The piston speed decreases with the decrease in aspect ratio, which gives a negative effect on the indicated mean effective pressure and power output of the PFLG. Overall, the aspect ratio has a significant influence on engine performance characteristics.     

Comparison of performance of compact chamber spark‐ignition engine with conventional S.I. engine

This paper deals with the compact chamber engine in which a bowl‐like space in the piston or head of the cylinder is added to cause swirling of the air–fuel mixture. This causes a change in performance from the conventional spark ignition engine. In this work, the operating variables considered are the engine speed, equivalence ratio, inlet pressure and temperature and exhaust pressure. A computer program is specially devised to calculate performance at design and off design operation conditions. The compact chamber achieves an increase in volumetric efficiency of 5%. The brake efficiency is 28.5%, whereas for conventional SI engine is 23%, with an increase of 20%. The brake power for the compact chamber engine is 39 kW, whereas for the conventional engine is 35 kW, an increase of 10%. Hence, the reduction in the brake‐specific fuel consumption is about 20%. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

多点点火对高强化液压自由活塞发动机燃烧过程影响的仿真研究

利用CONVERGE仿真平台建立点燃式液压自由活塞发动机(hydraulic free piston engine,HFPE)三维仿真模型,并实时求解作用在活塞顶表面的压力,从而使缸内燃烧气体力和液压力耦合。在此基础上研究了增压多点点火HFPE的指示热效率情况。研究结果表明:采用多点点火能改善增压HFPE的指示热效率。采用多点点火之后,最佳指示热效率对应的压缩比变小。多点点火使增压比较大时的工况也呈现较高的指示热效率。采用多点点火后,高效区能够扩大到增压比为4以上。适当增加活塞组质量能够延长活塞在上止点附近停留时间,从而进一步提高指示热效率。     

自由活塞发动机关键设计参数及其性能的仿真优化研究

针对拟开发设计的用于混合动力汽车的自由活塞发动机-发电机系统,对其自由活塞发动机的关键设计参数(活塞组件质量、压缩比、点火提前角及其经济性和动力输出特性),进行了仿真优化研究。研究结果表明:经参数优化后的自由活塞发动机标定功率为7.42 kW,相比原机的标定功率提高了1.17 kW;最低燃油消耗率为313.4 g/(kW·h),相比原机节省燃油34%。     

Experimental study on combustion stability and performance of hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas of a free-piston linear generator

Free Piston linear Generator (FPLG) engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) has recently gained increased research attention. However, due to the low-velocity burning and poor lean limit of CNG fuel, the FPLG engine combustion stability, performance, and efficiency are still low. Hydrogen has a greater burning velocity with wider flame limits that could extend the lean burn limits and combustion characteristics of CNG. This paper compares pure CNG and 10% hydrogen-enriched CNG at various ignition speeds (0.6 ms, 0.8 m/s, and 1 m/s), injection positions (0 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm and 15 mm), and lambda ratios (0.9, 1.4 and 1.7) on the combustion characteristics, performance, and conversion efficiency are duly discussed. The findings show that the FPLG combustion stability limits increase with the hydrogen addition into the CNG. The CNG in-cylinder pressure increases significantly when the injection position is advanced, whereas the hydrogen addition reduces the influence of the injection position. The heat release rate increases by 15.62% and 23.72% with hydrogen addition, corresponding to the advanced and retarded injection positions. Consequently, the hydrogen addition increases the power RMS to 209.21 W and 232.64 W with an increment of 3.46% and 3.13%, respectively. Conclusively, the hydrogen addition into the CNG evidently shortens the combustion duration while improving the heat release rate, combustion stability, power RMS, Cycle-to-Cycle variation, and conversion efficiency.     

汽油机燃烧和失火离子信号的特征分析

介绍了一种火花点火发动机在点火和燃烧中所产生的离子信号的基本特征以及该信号在失火故障诊断中的应用 .通过在火花塞电极两端加直流电压的方法获得点火和燃气燃烧中所产生的离子信号 .通过信号分析 ,即可得到发动机正常燃烧和失火的基本特征 .对火花塞间隙过小和过大以及高压点火线圈断开等原因所造成的失火进行了试验研究和波形分析 ,给出了用离子信号评价正常燃烧及失火的指标 .研究表明 ,该信号可用于燃烧的检测和失火的故障诊断     

Experimental investigation on effect of misfire and postfire on backfire in a hydrogen fuelled automotive spark ignition engine

This study investigates the effect of misfire and postfire on backfire in a hydrogen-fuelled automotive spark ignition engine. Backfire is a preignition phenomenon and the flame propagates toward the engine's intake manifold during the suction stroke. Postfire is a post-ignition phenomenon occurring in the exhaust manifold during the exhaust stroke and the flame propagates towards the exhaust manifold or backflow to the combustion chamber or combined both. Misfire occurs when cranking the engine (starting), fouled spark plug, and unoptimized spark timing. Several misfire cycles lead to an increase in the accumulation of unburnt hydrogen-air charge inside the cylinder and 13% hydrogen leaves the exhaust manifold resulting in postfire occurrence in a subsequent cycle. The postfire in the current cycle acting as an external ignition source for the preignition of the accumulated hydrogen-air charge results in backfire in the immediate next cycle. The misfire, postfire and backfire stall the engine operation due to a drop in indicated mean effective pressure. The experimental data indicates the backfire limiting equivalence ratio (BLER) should decrease with an increase in the engine speed as the equivalence ratio varies from 0.91 at 2000 rpm to 0.4 at 4900 rpm. As too advancement of spark timing increases the probability of misfire leading to postfire and backfire, the engine must be operated at backfire limiting spark timing to avoid misfire, postfire, and backfire occurrence. An important point emerged from this study that misfire without postfire does not lead to backfire occurrence. Physical mechanisms and mitigative measures for misfire, postfire and backfire are discussed in detail.     

Explorations of the impacts on a hydrogen fuelled opposed rotary piston engine performance by ignition timing under part load conditions

High power density of opposed rotary piston (ORP) engines provides a possibility for the applications to hybrid vehicles. Under real driving conditions, internal combustion engines as the power sources of hybrid vehicles run under part load conditions in majorities of operation time. Hydrogen applications in internal combustion engines will promote zero-carbon travel, contributing to alleviating global warming. In this investigation, 3D numerical simulations were conducted to explore the performance of an ORP engine fuelled with hydrogen under part load and various ignition timing conditions. The results indicated that peak in-cylinder pressure and corresponding crank angle (CA) changed slightly within the early ignition range of ?20.85º CA~ ?14.23º CA; peak in-cylinder pressure was decreased significantly by late ignition. Heat release rates were more sensitive to late ignition than early ignition. Start of combustion, combustion phase, and combustion durations presented minor impacts by early ignition and engine loads. Ignition timing of ?20.85º CA~ ?11.06º CA showed limited impacts on indicated mean effective pressure and indicated power over individual intake manifold pressure. Indicated thermal efficiency was around 40% for the ignition timing of ?20.85º CA~ ?11.06º CA over the intake manifold pressure of 0.8 bar; indicated thermal efficiency drop caused by ignition timing of ?8.33º CA was higher than 7% compared with optimal conditions. Heat loss by cylinder walls in proportions of fuel energy was lower than 25%, 20%, 18% for the intake manifold pressure of 0.4 bar, 0.6 bar, 0.8 bar respectively. Energy loss by the exhaust was higher than 41% for all the scenarios, with the maximum value being approximately 57%. Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emission factors were higher than 11 g (kW h)^?1, and they were increased significantly by early ignition.     

Prototype testing and analysis of a novel internal combustion linear generator integrated power system

A novel four-stroke free-piston engine equipped with a linear electric generator (namely internal combustion linear generator integrated power system) is proposed in this paper to achieve efficient energy conversion from fuel to electricity. Unique features of the novel power system are presented and their effects on the continuous running are discussed, along with potential advantages and disadvantages compared to conventional engines. A single cylinder, gasoline and spark ignition prototype is fabricated with reference to the geometric and control parameters of an existing conventional four-stroke engine. Stable running of the prototype is realized, and a 2.2 kW average output power with the generating efficiency of 32% has been obtained up to now. The feasibility and performance of the proposed design are verified. Detailed testing results from the continuous running prototype are analyzed in this paper for giving insight into the performance and dynamic behaviors of the novel power system.     

斯特林发动机瞬态模型及特性分析

为获得斯特林发动机的动态特性和优化方案,将损失机制和压力梯度耦合进控制方程中,提出一维瞬态斯特林循环分析模型及分析方法,并针对GPU-3斯特林发动机进行模型验证和特性分析。模型的指示功率相对误差平均值约为4.8%,热效率的相对误差小于1%。当氦气工质在热源温度为977 K、平均压强为2.76 MPa时,输出功率随转速的升高先增大后减小,同时流动阻力损失由0.174 kW上升至3.179 kW,最佳运行转速范围约2500~3000 r/min。最大的3项损失分别为流动阻力损失、配气活塞穿梭传热损失和有限速度压力损失。回热器压降占总压降的90%以上,瞬态值高达188 kPa,减小回热器压降损失是减小流动阻力损失的有效途径。     

二冲程微型摆式内燃机试验点火系统的设计与实现

详细介绍了一种二冲程微型摆式内燃机点火系统的设计及实现过程，并对试验数据进行了分析。点火系统能够满足二冲程微型摆式内燃机对点火的要求，是确保二冲程微型摆式内燃机正常运行的重要组成部分，同时为样机的试验研究奠定了基础。     

Effect of different volume fractions of ammonia on the combustion and emission characteristics of the hydrogen-fueled engine

Hydrogen internal combustion engines (ICE) will play an important role in reducing carbon emissions, but low power density and abnormal combustion problems are the main obstacles restricting the promotion of hydrogen ICE. Ammonia is a low-reactivity renewable fuel. The purpose of this study is to study the effect of different ammonia-added volume fractions on hydrogen ICE. In this experimental study, the combustion and emission characteristics of an engine fueled by a hydrogen/ammonia mixture were evaluated at part-load operating conditions. The experiment was carried out on a modified engine, the engine speed was 1300 rpm, the absolute pressure of the manifold was 61 kPa, and the volume fraction of ammonia added was 5.2%, 7.96%, and 10.68%, respectively. The test results show that the addition of ammonia changes the combustion characteristics of hydrogen. As the volume fraction of ammonia added increases, the flame development period and flame propagation period are both prolonged, and the peak heat release rate decreases. The addition of ammonia increases the power of the engine and reduces the indicated thermal efficiency. At the ignition timing of the maximum braking torque, as the volume fraction of ammonia added increases, the indicated mean effective pressure and indicated thermal efficiency increase. Adding ammonia volume fraction has little effect on Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, and NOx emissions gradually increase with the delay of ignition timing.     

液压自由活塞发动机活塞运动规律自适应特性的研究

在一台液压自由活塞发动机(HFPE)样机上进行了活塞运动规率的试验。研究表明:活塞的运动规律对于燃烧相位和累积放热量的变动具有自适应性;随着燃烧相位的提前或累积放热量的增大,活塞换向提前,最大升程和压缩比降低;这种自适应性可有效避免均质压燃过程中的爆震与后燃现象,保证缸内最高压力、最大放热速率的稳定,减少指示功的损失。     

Small thermophotovoltaic prototype systems

In an earlier paper we reported on a small grid-connected thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system consisting of an ytterbia mantle emitter and silicon solar cells with 16% efficiency (under solar irradiance in standard test conditions, STCs). The emitter was heated up using a butane burner with a rated thermal power of 1.35 kW (referring to the lower heating value). This system produced an electrical output of 15 W, which corresponds to a thermal to electric (direct current) conversion efficiency of 1.1%. In the interim, further progress has been made, and significantly higher efficiencies have been achieved. The most important development steps are: (1) the infrared radiation-absorbing water filter between emitter and silicon cells (to protect the cells against overheating and against contact with flue gasses) has been replaced by a suitable glass tube. By doing this, it has been possible to prevent losses of convertible radiation in water. (2) Cell cooling has been significantly improved, in order to reduce cell temperature, and therefore increase conversion efficiency. (3) The shape of the emitter has been changed from spherical to a quasi-cylindrical geometry, in order to obtain a more homogeneous irradiation of the cells. (4) The metallic burner tube, on which the ytterbia emitter was fixed in the initial prototypes, has been replaced by a heat-resistant metallic rod, carrying ceramic discs as emitter holders. This has prevented the oxidation and clogging of the perforated burner tube. (5) Larger reflectors have been used to reduce losses in useful infrared radiation. (6) Smaller cells have been used, to reduce electrical series resistance losses. Applying all these improvements to the basic 1.35 kW prototype, we attained a system efficiency of 1.5%. By using preheated air for combustion (at approximately 370 °C), 1.8% was achieved. In a subsequent step, a photocell generator was constructed, consisting of high-efficiency silicon cells (21% STC efficiency). In this generator, the spaces between the cells were minimized, in order to achieve as high an active cell area as possible, while simultaneously reducing radiation losses. This new system has produced an electrical output of 48 W, corresponding to a system efficiency of 2.4%. This is the highest-ever-reported value in a silicon-cell-based TPV system using ytterbia mantle emitters. An efficiency of 2.8% was achieved by using preheated air (at approximately 500 °C). An electronic control unit (fabricated of components with low power consumption, and including a battery store) was developed, in order to make the TPV system self-powered. This unit controls the magnetic gas supply valve between gas supply cylinder and burner as well as the high-voltage ignition electrodes. Both the control unit’s own power consumption and the battery-charging power are supplied directly by the TPV generator. A small commercial inverter is used to transfer excess power to the 230 V grid.     

点燃式液压自由活塞发动机高增压燃烧过程的试验与仿真研究

在快速压缩-膨胀机上进行试验,模拟液压自由活塞发动机(hydraulic free piston engine,HFPE)在不同缸内初始压力下的单次燃烧做功过程,并利用OpenFOAM和CONVERGE三维计算流体力学(computational fluid dynamics,CFD)仿真平台进行增压仿真研究。结果表明:液压自由活塞发动机随着缸内初始压力的增大,相同压缩比下发动机循环周期缩短,活塞在上止点附近停留时间缩短,爆震极限压缩比增大,抗爆能力增强。适当提高缸内初始压力有利于提高指示效率,当缸内初始压力提高至0.15MPa时,发动机指示效率由0.30提高至0.31,但当初始压力达到0.20MPa后,指示效率又降至0.30。针对缸内初始压力进一步增大后出现的效率降低问题,在仿真研究中发现采用多火花塞点火方案,即使在初始压力0.80MPa的条件下也能得到较高的指示效率而不发生爆震。     

发动机燃用天然气掺二氧化碳混合燃料的循环变动试验研究

在一台单缸火花点火发动机上开展了燃用不同组分配比的天然气掺二氧化碳混合气体燃烧循环变动的试验研究.研究结果表明:随着混合气中二氧化碳体积比的增加,燃烧稳定性下降,发动机循环中出现部分燃烧和失火等不正常燃烧现象.通过分析最高缸压和其对应曲轴转角的关系、平均指示压力与最高缸压对应曲轴转角的关系以及平均指示压力和最高缸压的关系等,考察了发动机快速燃烧循环与慢速燃烧循环在特征参数之间关系中的发展规律,混合气中二氧化碳体积比的增加,燃烧放热变慢,导致平均指示压力的循环变动系数增大.     

Performance evaluation of high-efficiency SOFC-PEMFC hybrid system fueled by liquid ammonia

The liquid ammonia-fueled SOFC-PEMFC (solid oxide fuel cell-proton exchange membrane fuel cell) hybrid system is studied, and the influence of three factors on the energy efficiency of the system is analyzed. The results show that when the SOFC fuel utilization rate gradually increases, the maximum power of the hybrid system is 1277.85 kW, the total electrical efficiency of the system can reach 62.55%, the combined cooling and power (CCP) efficiency is the highest 69.25%, and the thermoelectric efficiency is gradually increased to 93.19%. When the SOFC operating temperature gradually increases, the electrical efficiency of the hybrid system is the highest 62.72%, the CCP efficiency is 69.41%, and the thermoelectric efficiency is basically maintained at about 90%. When the SOFC operating pressure gradually increases, the total power of the system is up to 1352.19 kW, the electrical efficiency and CCP efficiency of the system are about 60%, and the thermoelectric efficiency of the system is basically maintained between 88% and 95%.     

二冲程汽油机扫气过程多维数值模拟及扫气系统优化设计

本文采用多维数值模拟方法对二冲程发动机的扫气过程进行优化。对原型机(小型HS-510航空发动机)的扫气过程数值模拟发现：在缸内存在环流和涡流。环流在贴近气缸附近较强，可以将废气排出气缸；而在气缸中部较弱，难以将废气彻底排出。涡流的存在则降低了发动机的扫气效率。原型机的扫气过程同理想的扫气过程相比有相当大的差距。在原型机扫气过程数值模拟的基础上，改进扫气系统设计，将扫气口由原来的两个增加到五个。对改型机数值模拟发现缸内没有形成涡流。计算和试验结果表明发动机的扫气效率得到了提高，且发动机的功率提高11％。     

汽油/柴油双燃料高比例预混压燃燃烧与排放的试验

对汽油/柴油双燃料高比例预混燃烧(HPCC)模式的燃烧及排放特性进行了初步的试验研究.结果表明,通过改变柴油的喷射时刻、汽油比例,HPCC呈现出由多种燃烧模式组成的复合燃烧模式,可以实现极低的NOx和碳烟排放,并能保持较高的热效率.试验工况下,汽油比例为50%时,柴油喷油时刻在-58～-6,°CA ATDC时热效率较高,喷油时刻在-49,°CA ATDC和-16,°CA ATDC时分别出现碳烟和NOx排放峰值.进气压力影响HPCC着火滞燃期、燃烧反应速度和"失火"与"爆震"燃烧汽油比例限值,提高进气压力可以提高汽油比例,实现超低的NOx和碳烟排放,并降低HC排放,但CO排放有所升高.随着汽油比例的增加,NOx与碳烟排放降低,对于IMEP为0.5,MPa、汽油比例大于50%时,两者的原始排放分别低于0.4,g/(kW.h)、0.06,FSN,但HC和CO排放升高.     

Monolithic crystalline multijunction solar cell development and analysis at the US Air Force research laboratory

As satellite payload electrical power system requirements continue to grow, satellite systems employing flat panel arrays have reached limits set by either on-orbit dynamics that limit the size and shape of the deployed array, mass constraints set by the launch vehicle, or by the limits set by the volume constraints of the launch shroud. This has caused several satellite programs to approach power margin limits early in the design cycle, and to either compromise on satellite capabilities or perform costly redesigns. A very leveraging parameter for raising satellite power levels and reducing costs is the efficiency of the solar cells employed by satellite systems. State of the art efficiencies have reached 26.5% efficiency at load, and 30.1% for prototype cells, and solar arrays using GaAs based multijunction solar cells have achieved deployed solar array power densities of 70 W/kg and stowed volume power densities of 8 kW/m³. A simplified approach to the unwieldy dark current electrical analysis of multijunction solar cells has been developed, correlated with the performance of dual and triple junction solar cells, and explains ideality factors and reverse saturation currents that appear large. It was found that introducing a fourth junction with modest performance could raise the efficiency of multijunction solar cells to 31.5% efficiency at load, raise total power levels to 22 kW, raise the power densities to 100 W/kg and 9 kW/m³ with no impact to the configuration or operation of satellite solar arrays.