Assessing the cyclic-variability of spark-ignition engine running on methane-hydrogen blends with high hydrogen contents of up to 50%

The cyclic variability in a spark-ignition (SI) engine is examined fueled with methane/hydrogen blends with the use of an in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. A recent methodology is followed, which has been developed with the main aim at providing accurate predictions of the coefficient of variation (COV) of the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) in a fraction of time. Instead of simulating several tens of engine cycles, the methodology is based on the numerical results obtained from just 5 cycles, which are then processed for developing suitable fitted correlations of the main parameters as a function of a normalized distance. The latter expresses the distance of the spheres of the initial flame within the computational cell at the spark-plug region with the local turbulent eddy, and provides a smooth transition from the laminar burning regime to the fully turbulent one. This sub-model is included in the ignition numerical approach and is applied here in a SI engine with 3 different hydrogen contents, 10%, 30% and 50%, and three equivalence ratios, 1, 0.8 and 0.7, showing that the COV of IMEP is well predicted compared to the available measured data. Other parameters of engine cycle variations are also examined, such as the distribution of the IMEP. The variability of NO (nitric oxide) emissions is also examined, showing that for the stoichiometric cases it follows a distribution similar to a normal (Gaussian) one, while for lower ratios it is positively skewed. Overall, the methodology seems to provide reliable results for the whole range of the operating conditions examined, while the next steps of this activity will focus on similar cases for engine with variable speed and load, with the final goal to include additional mechanisms that contribute to the engine cycle variations.     

A new synthetic metamodel methodology for liquid‐propellant engine's cooling system optimization

The present paper strives for optimization of the cooling system of a liquid‐propellant engine (LPE). To this end, the new synthetic metamodel methodology utilizing the design of experiment method and the response surface method was developed and implemented as two effective means of designing, analyzing, and optimizing. The input variables, constraints, objective functions, and their surfaces were identified. Hence, the design and development strategy of combustion chamber and nozzle was clarified, and 64 different experiments were carried out on the RD‐161 propulsion system, of which 47 experiments were approved and compatible with the problem constraints. This engine used all three modes of cooling: the radiation cooling, the regenerative cooling, and the film cooling. The response surface curves were drawn and the related objective function equations were obtained. The analysis of variance results indicate that the developed synthetic model is capable to predict the responses adequately within the limits of input parameters. The three‐dimensional response surface curves and contour plots have been developed to find out the combined effects of input parameters on responses. In addition, the precision of the models was assessed and the output was interpreted and analyzed, which showed high accuracy. Therefore, the desirability function analysis has been applied to LPE's cooling system for multiobjective optimization to maximize the total heat transfer and minimize the cooling system pressure loss simultaneously. Finally, confirmatory tests have been conducted with the optimum parametric conditions to validate the optimization techniques. In conclusion, this methodology optimizes the LPE's cooling system, a 2% increase in the total heat transfer, and a 38% decrease in the pressure loss of the cooling system. These values are considerably large for the LPE design.     

Numerical investigation of pre-detonator in rotating detonation engine

Pre-detonators are commonly used in rotating detonation engine (RDE) experiments. Current experimental studies focus on the performance of pre-detonator while ignoring the influence of pre-detonator on the flow field. In numerical simulations one-dimensional detonation wave is usually used to ignite the fresh gas in RDE. This is a simplification of the pre-detonator used in practical hotfire tests. But the coupling between the pre-detonator and the combustor is ignored. The aim of the present study is to study the influence of pre-detonator on the flow field in the RDE. A model of RDE with a pre-detonator is built, in which three-dimensional numerical simulations fueled with hydrogen/air is performed. The influence of pre-detonator on the combustor in different stages is studied. After initiation, detonation wave from the pre-detonator forms two counter-rotating detonation waves. The tangential installation of pre-detonator fails in directional initiation of detonation wave. The coupling effect is shown as the reflection and expulsion of shock wave. Detonation wave or oblique shock wave in the combustion chamber enters the pre-detonator and turns into shock wave before colliding with the end and re-entering the combustion chamber. Under some circumstances, the reflected shock wave will initiate a detonation wave and affect the wave structure in the combustion chamber. In the stable stage, the reflected shock wave has no effect on the flow field. However, periodic collision of reflected shock wave with detonation wave at the junction causes ablation in long-time experiments. Increasing the axial distance between pre-detonator and injection wall is expected to be a solution for the ablation problem.     

Improving burning speed by using hydrogen enrichment and turbulent jet ignition system in a rotary engine

Low flame speed restrains engine efficiency and increases HC emissions in rotary engines. Hydrogen addition and turbulent jet ignition have a great potential in increasing engine performance as they increase fuel burning speed. In this study, the classical R13b-Renesis Wankel engine and a modified one with a turbulent jet ignition configuration are numerically investigated by using hydrogen as a supplement. Eccentric motion of the rotor was generated by using User Defined Function in ANSYS-Fluent software. Pure methane and methane blended with 3% and 6% hydrogen energy fractions were used as fuels in the calculations. Combustion was modeled by using reduced mechanism of hydrogen-methane combustion having 22 species and 104 reactions. The Wankel engine was simulated at 2000 rpm speed and partial load conditions. At first, classical engine configuration having two spark plugs was simulated with pure methane. Then, hydrogen blended methane simulations were conducted to investigate the benefits of the hydrogen addition. Similar procedure was applied for the turbulent jet ignition application. The results show that both approaches are effective on increasing the burning speed of the fuel. It is revealed that hydrogen addition increases the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) by 1.8% and 5.2% for 3% and 6% hydrogen fraction cases respectively in the classical engine. Turbulent jet ignition with pure methane increases IMEP by 4.7% compared to the classical engine. Hydrogen addition only in pre-chamber is effective as much as 6% hydrogen fraction of classical engine. As the burning speed is increased by the application of these methods, CO and HC emissions are reduced and NO emission is increased. It is concluded that benefits of hydrogen addition and turbulent jet ignition applications can be optimized for both reducing harmful emissions and increasing engine performance.     

Prism Signal Processing of Coriolis meter data for gasoline fuel injection monitoring

Prism Signal Processing is a new recursive FIR technique offering rapid filter design and calculation. It has previously been applied to Coriolis mass flow metering to generate fast (48 kHz) flow measurement updates, facilitating for the first time the direct mass flow measurement of individual fuel pulses injected into a laboratory diesel fuel injection test bench. In this paper we describe an augmented sensor signal filtering scheme which enables rapid tracking of the desired mode of flow tube vibration while notching out undesired modes. The new scheme is applied to a gasoline injection test bench where the vibrational interference is greater than for the previously described diesel system due to increased hydraulic shock. The paper presents experimental findings which illustrate the further challenges to be overcome in order to achieve the goal of traceable direct mass flow measurement of individual fuel injection pulses. For example, when a fuel pulse is shorter than the resonant period of the flow tube, the observed phase difference appears to show dependence on the instantaneous phase of the flow tube vibration.     

Influences of hydrogen and various gas fuel addition to different liquid fuels on the performance characteristics of a spark ignition engine

This study reports the impacts of dual fuel mixtures on the theoretical performance characteristics of a spark ignition engine (SIE). The effects of addition of liquefied hydrogen, methane, butane, propane (additive fuels) into gasoline, iso-octane, benzene, toluene, hexane, ethanol and methanol fuels (primary fuels) on the variation of power, indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency, were examined by using a combustion model. The fuel additives were ranged from 10 to 50% by mass. The results exhibited that the ratios of hydrogen, methane, butane, propane noticeably affect the performance of the engine. The maximum increase ratio of power is 82.59% with 50% of toluene ratio and its maximum decrease ratio is 10.84% with 50% of methanol ratio in hydrogen mixtures. The maximum increase ratio of thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency are observed as 26.75% and 32.23% with the combustion of benzene-hydrogen mixtures. The maximum decrease ratio of thermal efficiency is 29.71% with the combustion of 50% of methanol ratio and it is 21.95% for the exergy efficieny with the combustion of 50% of ethanol ratio in hydrogen mixtures. The power, IMEP, thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency of primary fuels demonstrate different variation characteristics with respect to type and ratio of additive fuels.     

Energy,exergy and ecological analysis and multiobjective optimization of the hydrogen-fueled Scimitar engine with fixed nozzle geometry

In this study, an energy, exergy and ecological analysis and multiobjective optimization of the Scimitar engine with fixed core nozzle outlet geometry are carried out at hypersonic cruise conditions. A single-objective optimization is performed first, which revealed that overall efficiency and coefficient of ecological performance are maximized with different optimum nozzle outlet areas, and it propounded the need for a multiobjective optimization. The single objective optimization also showed that decreasing the hydrogen fuel mass flow rate and cruise altitude together with increasing the air mass flow rate and cruise speed improve the performance of the engine. Then, the multiobjective optimization is performed with the utopia point method. It is concluded that for fuel and air mass flow rates of 3.99 kg/s and 178.6 kg/s, respectively, and cruise speed and altitude of Ma = 5.2 and 22 km, respectively, the optimum core nozzle outlet area is 4.00 m², when equal weight factors are used for overall efficiency and coefficient of ecological performance. A comparison with the base scenario results showed that the overall efficiency has increased from 55.1% to 57.3%, and the engine size is reduced from 5.38 m² to 4.00 m² with the multiobjective optimization.     

Optimization of exhaust emissions,vibration, and noise of a hydrogen enriched fuelled diesel engine

In this study, the effects of various input parameters are examined on exhaust emissions, vibration, and noise of an unmodified diesel engine. The primary aim of this study is to optimize the vibration, noise, and exhaust emissions of the engine to get optimal configuration parameters. Experiments were carried out on a four-stroke, four-cylinder, diesel engine fuelled with diesel-biodiesel-hydrogen blends. To minimize the number of experiments Box-Behnken design (BBD) has been adopted. Optimum desirability is found as 0.862 with hydrogen addition of 4.63 L/min, fuel blend of 26.8% and 1500 rpm engine speed for the diesel engine. When the diesel engine is operated at 1500 rpm engine speed and fuelled with 4.63 L/min hydrogen addition and 26.8% biodiesel blend ratio; the optimum responses of CO, CO₂, NO_x, vibration, and noise are established as 214 ppm, 1.35%, 90.4 ppm, 38.6 m/s², and 91.3 dB[A], respectively. The predicted values were confirmed experimentally and the errors in predicted values are found in a limit range.     

Monitoring water level and volume changes of lakes and reservoirs in the Yellow River Basin using ICESat-2 laser altimetry and Google Earth Engine

Monitoring the water level and volume changes of lakes and reservoirs is essential for deepening our understanding of the temporal and spatial dynamics of water resources in the Yellow River Basin, with a view to better utilizing and managing water resources. In recent years, there have been many studies on monitoring water level and volume changes in inland waters, but they were mainly focused on radar altimetry and the full waveform LiDAR ICESat, which was retired in 2010. Few studies based on the latest photon-counting LiDAR ICESat-2 have been reported. Compared with previous sensors, ICESat-2 has great advantages in footprint size, transmitting frequency, pulse number, etc, but its performance in monitoring water level and volume changes in inland waters has not been fully explored. Here we investigated the spatial distribution of water level and volume changes of 11 lakes and 8 reservoirs in the Yellow River Basin based on ICESat-2 and Google Earth Engine, and analyzed the factors affecting the measurement uncertainties. In-situ validation of lake level in Lake Qinghai indicates that the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of our result is only 7 cm after the reference coordinate system conversion. We found that the water level trend of the natural lake shows significant seasonal variations, while the water level trend of the reservoir shows a sharp rise and fall. In addition, precipitation plays a decisive role in the changes in natural lake levels and indirectly affects the artificial control of reservoirs’ water discharges. The uncertainty of water volume change monitoring is mainly affected by water level measurement uncertainty for lakes, while for reservoirs, that is affected by the combination of water level and area measurement uncertainties. The stability of lake level measurement increases with the increase in photon counts. The introduction of ICESat-2 ATL13 Significant Wave Height might lead larger standard deviation in water level measurement. According to the law of propagation of uncertainty, the uncertainty of the water volume change estimation by the combination of ICESat-2 and GEE is less than 9 %.     

On the assessment of fatigue life of marine diesel engine crankshafts

The fatigue strength and its correct assessment play an important role in design and maintenance of marine crankshafts to obtain operational safety and reliability. Crankshafts are under alternating bending on crankpins and rotating bending combined with torsion on main journals, which mostly are responsible for fatigue failure. The commercial management success substantially depends on the main engine in service and of its design crankshaft, in particular. The crankshaft design strictly follows the rules of classification societies. The present study provides an overview on the assessment of fatigue life of marine engine crankshafts and its maintenance taking into account the design improving in the last decades, considering that accurate estimation of fatigue life is very important to ensure safety of components and its reliability. An example of a semi-built crankshaft failure is also presented and the probable root case of damage, and at the end some final remarks are presented.