Availability analysis of a coke oven gas fueled spark ignition engine

The current work investigates a coke oven gas fueled spark ignition (SI) engine from the perspective of the first and second laws in order to understand the energy conversion performance of fuels and achieve highly efficient utilization. A detailed energy and exergy analysis is applied to a quasi-dimensional two-zone spark ignition engine model which combines turbulence flame propagation speed model at 1500 rpm by changing gas fuel types, compression ratio, load and ignition timing. It was found that the irreversibility of methane is the maximum and that of syngas is the minimum among the three different fuels. The irreversibility in the combustion process of a coke oven gas fueled SI engine is reduced when the compression ratio or the throttle valve opening angle is increased and the ignition timing is delayed. Increasing the compression ratio and delaying the ignition timing can improve the first and second law efficiency and reduce the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). The power performance and fuel economy are good and the energy is also used effectively when the compression ratio is 11, the throttle angle is 90% and the ignition time is ?10° CA ATDC respectively.     

Efficiency and emissions in a vehicle spark ignition engine fueled with hydrogen and methane blends

This paper shows the results of the tests carried out in a naturally aspirated vehicle spark ignition engine fueled with different hydrogen and methane blends. The percentage of hydrogen tested was up to 50% by volume in methane. The tests were carried out in a wide range of speeds with the original ignition timing of the engine. Also, lean equivalence ratios were proved. Just the fuel injection map was modified for each fuel blend and equivalence ratio tested. In this paper, the results of thermal efficiency and pollutant emissions achieved at full load have been compared with the corresponding gasoline test results. The best balance between thermal efficiency and pollutant emissions was observed with the 30% hydrogen and 70% methane fuel blend.     

Effect of ethanol–gasoline blends on engine performance and exhaust emissions in different compression ratios

Renewable energy sources for the gasoline engines alcohols gain importance recently. These renewable energy sources have attracted the attention of researchers as alternative fuel due to their high octane number. In addition, these are also clean energy sources and can be obtained from the biomass alcohols with low carbon like ethanol. In this study, the effect of compression ratio on engine performance and exhaust emissions was examined at stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, full load and minimum advanced timing for the best torque MBT in a single cylinder, four stroke, with variable compression ratio and spark ignition engine.     

Combustion analysis of a spark ignition engine fueled with gaseous blends containing hydrogen

This paper presents the combustion characteristics of a naturally aspirated spark ignition engine, intended for installation in vehicles, fueled with different hydrogen and methane blends. The experimental tests were carried out in a wide range of speeds at equivalence ratios of 1, 0.8 and 0.7 and at full load. The ignition timing was maintained for each speed, independently of the equivalence ratio and blend used as fuel. Four methane-hydrogen blends were used. In-cylinder pressure, mass fraction burned, heat released and cycle-by-cycle variations were analyzed as representative indicators of the combustion quality. It was observed that hydrogen enrichment of the blend improve combustion for the ignition timing chosen. This improvement is more appreciable at low speeds, because at high speeds hydrogen effect is attenuated by the high turbulence. Also, hydrogen addition allowed the extension of the LOL, enabling the engine to run stable in points where methane could not be tested. The main inconvenience detected was the high NO_x emissions measured, especially at stoichiometric conditions, due mainly to the increment in the combustion temperature that hydrogen produces.     

燃油组成对火花点火发动机碳氢排放的影响

为了更好地弄清燃油组分对发动机排气碳氢的影响，在一台单缸发动机上开展了燃用汽油－正已烷和汽油－二甲苯混合燃料的研究，利用ＦＩＤ测量了总碳氢排放量。研究了不同混合比例下汽油－正已烷和汽油－二甲苯混合燃料对发动机碳氢排放的影响。给出了混合燃料与商品汽油的排放对比。研究结果表明：汽油－正已烷混合燃料较汽油碳氢排放低，汽油－二甲苯混合燃料较汽油碳氢排放高。认为亨利常数、扩散系数和蒸馏温度决定了燃油组分引起的缸内未燃碳氢数量。指出燃油组分对发动机碳氢排放有很大的影响。碳氢排放量与汽油中正已烷或二甲苯掺混比例成线性变化关系。汽油中正已烷增加１０％碳氢排放降低２×１０－４Ｃ，汽油中二甲苯增加１０％碳氢排放会增加２．２×１０－４Ｃ。     

Availability analysis of a syngas fueled spark ignition engine using a multi-zone combustion model

A previously developed and validated zero-dimensional, multi-zone, thermodynamic combustion model for the prediction of spark ignition (SI) engine performance and nitric oxide (NO) emissions has been extended to include second-law analysis. The main characteristic of the model is the division of the burned gas into several distinct zones, in order to account for the temperature and chemical species stratification developed in the burned gas during combustion. Within the framework of the multi-zone model, the various availability components constituting the total availability of each of the multiple zones of the simulation are identified and calculated separately. The model is applied to a multi-cylinder, four-stroke, turbocharged and aftercooled, natural gas (NG) SI gas engine running on synthesis gas (syngas) fuel. The major part of the unburned mixture availability consists of the chemical contribution, ranging from 98% at the inlet valve closing (IVC) event to 83% at the ignition timing of the total availability for the 100% load case, which is due to the presence of the combustible fuel. On the contrary, the multiple burned zones possess mainly thermomechanical availability. Specifically, again for the 100% load case, the total availability of the first burned zone at the exhaust valve opening (EVO) event consists of thermomechanical availability approximately by 90%, with similar percentages for all other burned zones. Two definitions of the combustion exergetic efficiency are used to explore the degree of reversibility of the combustion process in each of the multiple burned zones. It is revealed that the crucial factor determining the thermodynamic perfection of combustion in each burned zone is the level of the temperatures at which combustion occurs in the zone, with minor influence of the whole temperature history of the zone during the complete combustion phase. The availability analysis is extended to various engine loads. The engine in question is supplied with increasingly leaner mixtures as loads rise in order to keep the emitted nitrogen oxides (NO_x) low. Therefore, in-cylinder combustion temperatures are reduced, resulting in increased destruction of availability due to combustion and reduced availability losses due to heat transfer with the cylinder walls, when expressed as percentages of the fuel chemical availability. Specifically, when engine load increases from 40% to 100% of full load, with the relative air–fuel ratio also increasing from 1.56 to 1.83, the destroyed availability due to combustion rises from 14.19% to 15.02% of the fuel chemical availability, while the respective percentage of the cumulative availability loss due to heat transfer decreases from 13.37% to 9.05%.     

Spectroscopic characterization of energy transfer and thermal conditions of the flame kernel in a spark ignition engine fueled with methane and hydrogen

In the context of stringent exhaust gas emission regulations and requirements of increased efficiency, spark ignition (SI) engine research is looking at ever more detailed approaches, that cover a large number of processes. Ignition is one of the determining factors for repeatable combustion and its study is associated with extensive difficulties due to the turbulent nature of fluid motion. In order to provide data on the energy transfer and thermal conditions of the flame kernel in its initial stages, vibrational and rotational temperatures were evaluated using UV emission spectra detected in a SI engine. Stoichiometric operation with methane and hydrogen–methane blends was employed, so as to identify any influence of the fuel's molecular structure on these processes. The consolidated methodology for temperature estimation using the ratio between the emission bands of CN and OH, was implemented considering the effects of collisional broadening. Vibrational temperatures evaluation showed and evolution from 8000 K to 4000 K during the arc and glow phase specific for SI. The evolution of CN emission intensity confirmed its formation only in the initial stages of ignition, for which kernel temperature is high enough. Simulations of chemical equilibrium showed that the evaluation of temperatures based on spectroscopic measurements is in line with the decreasing trend correlated with the electrical current evolution, measured in the secondary circuit.     

Performance and emission characteristics of a SI engine fueled by low calorific biogas blended with hydrogen

In this study, an experimental investigation on a naturally aspirated (NA), 8-L spark ignition engine fueled by biogas with various methane concentrations - which we called the N₂ dilution test - was performed in terms of its thermal efficiency, combustion characteristics and emissions. The engine was operated at a constant engine rotational speed of 1800 rpm under a 60 kW power output condition and simulated biogas was employed to realize a wide range of changes in heating value and gas composition. The N₂ dilution test results show that an increase of inert gas in biogas was beneficial to thermal efficiency enhancement and NO_x emission reduction, while exacerbating THC emissions and cyclic variations. Then, as a way to achieve stable combustion for the lowest quality biogas, H₂ addition tests were carried out in various excess air ratios. H₂ fractions ranging from 5 to 30% were blended to the biogas and the effects of hydrogen addition on engine behavior were evaluated. The engine test results indicated that the addition of hydrogen improved in-cylinder combustion characteristics, extending lean operating limit as well as reducing THC emissions while elevating NO_x generation. In terms of efficiency, however, a competition between enhanced combustion stability and increased cooling energy loss was observed with a rise in H₂ concentration, maximizing engine efficiency at 5-10% H₂ concentration. Moreover, based on the peak efficiency operating point, a set of optimum operating conditions for minimum emissions with the least amount of efficiency loss was suggested in terms of excess air ratio, spark ignition timing, and hydrogen addition rate as one of the main results.     

Experimental investigation on effects of knocking on backfire and its control in a hydrogen fueled spark ignition engine

The experimental study was carried out on a multi-cylinder spark ignition engine fueled with hydrogen for analyzing the effect of knocking on backfire and its control by varying operating parameters. The experimental tests were conducted with constant speed at varied equivalence ratio. The equivalence ratio of 0.82 was identified as backfire occurring equivalence ratio (BOER). The backfire was identified by high pitched sound and rise in in-cylinder pressure during suction stroke. In order to analyze backfire at equivalence ratio of 0.82, the combustion analysis was carried out on cyclic basis. Based on the severity of in-cylinder pressure during suction stroke, the backfire can be divided into two categories namely low intensity backfire (LIB) and high intensity backfire (HIB). From this study, it is observed that there is frequent LIB in hydrogen fueled spark ignition engine during suction stroke, which promotes instable combustion and thus knocking at the end of compression stroke. This knocking creates high temperature sources in the combustion chamber and thus causes HIB to occur in the subsequent cycle. A notable salient point emerged from this study is that combustion with knocking can be linked with backfire as probability of backfire occurrence decreases with reduction in chances of knocking. Retarding spark timing and delaying injection timing of hydrogen were found to reduce the chances of backfire occurrence. The backfire limiting spark timing (BLST) and backfire limiting injection timing (BLIT) were found as 12 ⁰bTDC and 40 ⁰aTDC respectively.     

Experimental study on a spark ignition engine fueled by CH4/H2 (70/30) and LPG

In the present study, a single-cylinder four-stroke SI engine was operated with LPG (C₄H₁₀/C₃H₈, 70:30), hydrogen and methane mixture (H₂/CH₄, 30:70). Experiments were conducted at excess air ratio between 0.8 and 1.5. Spark timing was varied from 14 to 35° CA BTDC under a constant load of 6 Nm at 1400 rpm.     

A novel strategy for hydrous-ethanol utilization: Demonstration of a spark-ignition engine fueled with hydrogen-rich fuel from an onboard ethanol/steam reformer

In this paper, an onboard reformer and a dual-fuel (hydrous-ethanol and gasoline) supply system were designed to examine experimentally the reforming performance of hydrous-ethanol for an on-line, operating engine, and a series of optimization and comparison experiments were conducted. The results show that HE75 (75% hydrous-ethanol, i.e., ethanol with 25% water volume content) conversion first increases and later decreases with the temperature and reaches its peak at a temperature of approximately 675 K. The effects of the flow rate and temperature on the product distribution are minimal. Compared to the prototype gasoline-fueled engine, the average decreases of the equivalent specific fuel consumption, NO_x emissions, CO emission and total hydrocarbon emissions for the optimized engine fueled with hydrogen-rich reformates are 6%, 70%, 50% and 80%, respectively. This preliminary experiment suggests that the utilization of hydrous, rather than anhydrous, ethanol in a spark ignition engine by the onboard steam reforming of ethanol may represent a sustainable alternative energy source.     

Comparison of performance of a Greener direct-injection stratified-charge (DISC) engine with a spark-ignition engine using a simplified model

The direct-injection stratified charge (DISC) engine is a hybrid between spark ignition (SI) and compression-ignition engines, it combines many of the best features of both with some unique advantages of its own. This includes multi-fuel capability, high thermal efficiency, low NOx production, and low particulate emissions.This work shows how simple semi-global models can predict the performance of the SI and DISC engines with reasonable accuracy, without going to details of modeling for internal processes such as: swirl, mixing and detailed combustion kinetics.The operating variables studied were inlet manifold pressure p_i, exhaust manifold pressure p_e, engine speed N, equivalence ratio Φ, and volumetric efficiency η_v at different loads. The corresponding performance parameters were the brake mean effective pressure bmep, brake power P_b, and brake thermal efficiency η_b,th. The main contribution of this work is the production of friendly set of curve-fitting correlations for engine performance. The bmep and the P_b increase with the load for both engines. For spark ignition engines the bmep increases by about 70% when load increases from 50% to 100%. With the DISC engine, this ratio increases to 75%. The percent improvement in η_b,th for the DISC to the SI engine is around 50% which increases with part load, lower compression ratio r_c and p_i.     

电喷汽油机燃用乙醇汽油的仿真研究

对吉利MR479Q型发动机建立一维仿真模型,并利用该模型进行了电喷汽油机燃用乙醇汽油的仿真研究。研究发现,在不改变发动机的前提下,燃用含适当比例乙醇的乙醇汽油对发动机的动力性有少量的提升,但由于乙醇的低位热值远小于汽油,发动机的比油耗也随着掺醇比例的提高而提高。     

Assessing idling effects on a compression ignition engine fueled with Jatropha and Palm biodiesel blends

In this study, performance of a diesel engine operated with Jatropha and Palm biodiesel blends at high idling conditions has been evaluated. The result obtained from experiment elucidate that, at all idling modes HC and CO emissions of both blends decreases, however, NO_x emissions increases compared to pure diesel fuel. Jatropha biodiesel has higher viscosity compared to Palm biodiesel, which might have degraded the spray characteristics and caused slightly improper mixing which might have led to slightly incomplete combustion, thus at both idling conditions, Jatropha blends emitted higher CO and HC compared to Palm biodiesels. Compared to diesel fuel, CO emissions were 5.9–9.7%, 17.6–22.6%, 23.5–29%, 2.9–6.4%, 5.9–14.5% and 11.8–17.74% less, HC emissions were 10.3–11.5%, 24.13–30.76%, 34.5–39%, 6.9–7.7%, 26–27% and 31–35% less and NO_x emissions were 8.3–9.5%, 14–15%, 22–25%, 5–7.14%, 10–11.3% and 17–18% more respectively for 5, 10 and 20% blends of Palm and Jatropha biodiesel. Compared to diesel fuel, at high idling conditions brake specific fuel consumption all Palm and Jatropha biodiesel–diesel blends increased. Compared to diesel fuel, BSFC were 1.14–1.35%, 2.28–2.96%, 7.1–8.35%, 2.28–2.69%, 3.98–5.39% and 8.83–9.29% more respectively for 5, 10 and 20% blends of Palm and Jatropha biodiesel.     

柴油机燃用乙醇-生物柴油的性能试验研究

对乙醇和生物柴油的互溶性和抗水性进行了研究,在ZS195型柴油机上进行了燃用生物柴油、乙醇-生物柴油、含水乙醇-生物柴油与纯柴油的经济性与排放特性对比试验研究。试验结果表明:B90E10和B90A10混合燃料能在20℃环境温度下保持良好的物理稳定性;B90E10,B90A10和生物柴油有效燃油消耗率高于纯柴油;CO排放量,在小负荷时趋于纯柴油的排放水平,大负荷时下降;生物柴油NOx排放量在小负荷时高于纯柴油水平,而B90E10和B90A10较生物柴油依次下降,其中B90A10的NOx排放量低于纯柴油水平,大负荷时3种燃料的NOx排放量接近,均高于纯柴油水平;THC排放量均低于纯柴油水平,其中生物柴油下降幅度最大,B90E10下降幅度最小;碳烟排放较纯柴油大幅度下降,且随着燃料中含氧量的增加依次下降。     

Performance indices of a common rail-system CI engine powered by diesel oil and biofuel blends

Conventional fuels used for supplying internal combustion piston engines include petrols and diesel oils produced from petroleum. These are a non-renewable energy source. The environmental policy of the European Union is geared towards increasing the share of renewable fuels in the overall energy consumption. An alternative fuel originating from a renewable source, which could be used for feeding self-ignition internal combustion engines are the fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) of plant oils. The paper reports selected results of testing a 1.3 MULTIJET SDE 90 PS self-ignition engine with the Common Rail reservoir feed system supplied with mixtures of diesel oil and rape oil fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Tests were carried out on an engine test bed equipped with an eddy-current brake. The purpose of the tests was to determine the economic–energy and ecological indices of engine operation. The concentrations of exhaust gas gaseous components were measured using a MEXA-1600DEGR analyzer, while the particulate concentrations, with a MEXA-1230PM analyzer. In addition, the variations of working medium pressures in the engine chamber and of fuel pressure upstream the injector were recorded as a function of crankshaft rotation angle using the AVL IndiSmart 612 indication system for this purpose. The physicochemical properties of fuels used in the tests were determined using a fuel analyzer. The obtained testing results made it possible to determine and assess the operation indices of the engine fed with mixtures of diesel oil and rape oil fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) with slightly higher ester contents than the requirements of the currently applicable diesel oil standard.     

Evaluation of acetylene as a spark ignition engine fuel

In spite of its known shortcomings as a fuel for spark ignition engines, acetylene has been suggested as a possible alternative to petroleum-based fuels since it can be produced from non-petroleum resources (coal, limestone and water). Therefore, acetylene was evaluated in a single-cylinder engine to investigate performance and emission characteristics with special emphasis on lean operation for NO_x control. Testing was carried out at constant speed, constant airflow and MBT spark timing. Equivalence ratio and compression ratio were the primary variables. The engine operated much leaner when fuelled with acetylene than with gasoline. With acetylene, the engine operated at equivalence ratios as lean as 0·53 and 0·43 for compression ratios of 4 and 6, respectively. However, the operating range was very limited. Knock-induced preignition occurred either with compression ratios above 6 or with mixtures richer than 0·69 equivalence ratio. Both the indicated thermal efficiency and power output were less for acetylene fuelling than for gasoline. Acetylene combustion occurred at sufficiently lean equivalence ratios to produce very low NO_x and CO emissions. However, when the low NO_x levels were achieved hydrocarbon control was not improved over that with gasoline. Despite the potential for NO_x control demonstrated in this study of acetylene fuelling, difficulties encountered with engine knock and preignition plus well-known safety problems (wide flammability limits and explosive decomposition) associated with acetylene render this fuel impractical for spark ignition engines.     

Characteristics of cyclic heat release variability in the transition from spark ignition to HCCI in a gasoline engine

We study selected examples of previously published cyclic heat-release measurements from a single-cylinder gasoline engine as stepwise valve timing adjustments were made to shift from spark ignited (SI) combustion to homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI). Wavelet analysis of the time series, combined with conventional statistics and multifractal analysis, revealed previously undocumented features in the combustion variability as the shift occurred. In the spark-ignition combustion mode, the heat-release variations were very small in amplitude and exhibited more persistent low-frequency oscillations with intermittent high-frequency bursts. In the HCCI combustion mode, the amplitude of the heat-release variations again was small and involved mainly low-frequency oscillations. At intermediate states between SI and HCCI, a wide range of very large-amplitude oscillations occurred, including both persistent low-frequency periodicities and intermittent high-frequency bursts. It appears from these results that real-time wavelet decomposition of engine cylinder pressure measurements may be useful for on-board tracking of SI–HCCI combustion regime shifts.     

Evaluation of a spark ignition engine cycle using first and second law analysis techniques

In the present work, a simulation model of the actual processes occurring during the thermodynamic cycle of a real spark ignition engine is developed. The model incorporates such important features as heat exchange of the cylinder gases with the chamber walls (during all phases), real spark ignition timings, real valve opening and closing timings, accurate simulation of the spherical flame front movement issuing from the spark plug and calculation of eight chemical species concentration during combustion, at every engine degree crank angle. The results from this first law analysis of the real cycle (for example pressure indicator diagrams, efficiencies) are compared favourably with the relevant experimental results obtained from a flexible, variable compression ratio, Ricardo E-6 spark ignition engine, located at the author's laboratory, forming thus a sound basis for moving towards a second law evaluation of this cycle. The thermodynamic state points, determined from the first law analysis, are used to determine the availability (second law analysis) at each engine crank angle and so lead to the effectiveness computation, as well as to the revelation of the magnitude of the work-potential lost during the various processes in a much more realistic way than the first law analysis can. The second law analysis results, for the actual engine in hand, are compared with the up-to-now existing ideal cycle Otto engine results. Also, a second law parametric investigation is performed over a wide range of design and operation conditions (compression ratio, fuel-air ratio, ignition advance), providing useful information for the cycle processes performance assessment by bringing state degradations and thermodynamic losses into perspective.     

Combustion characteristics of SI engine fueled with methanol-gasoline blends during cold start

A 3-cylinder port fuel injection (PFI) engine fueled with methanol-gasoline blends was used to study combustion and emission characteristics. Cylinder pressure analysis indicates that engine combustion is improved when methanol is added to gasoline. With the increase of methanol, the flame developing period and the rapid combustion period are shortened, and the indicated mean effective pressure increases during the first 50 cycles. Meanwhile, a novel quasi-instantaneous sampling system was designed to measure engine emissions during cold start and warm-up. The results at 5°C show that unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) decrease remarkably. Hydrocarbon (HC) reduces by 40% and CO by 70% when fueled with M30 (30% methanol in volume). The exhaust gas temperature is about 140°C higher at 200 s after operation compared with that of gasoline. __________ Translated from Transactions of CSICE, 2007, 25(3): 235–240 [译自: 内燃机学报]