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.     

自由活塞斯特林发动机动力活塞气体作用效应

为了能够深入认识自由活塞斯特林发动机动力活塞的运行特性,找到提高自由活塞斯特林发动机效率的方法,对配气活塞固定不动时的动力活塞的气体作用效应进行了理论分析,并设计了动力活塞的单独运动实验,在此基础上提出了动力活塞自然频率的计算公式。研究了压缩腔压力波超前与滞后动力活塞位移两种情况下动力活塞受到的气体力的作用情况,采用旋转矢量法阐述了气体力的作用机理。当压力波超前或滞后活塞位移小于90°时,一部分气体力发挥了气体弹簧的作用,使系统自然频率增大;当压力波超前或滞后活塞位移大于90°但小于180°时,一部分气体力发挥了惯性力的作用,使系统自然频率减小,且热源温度越高,系统的自然频率越大。利用本实验室的一台自由活塞斯特林发动机进行实验,验证了上述气体力作用的效应与规律,利用此理论计算系统自然频率和实验相差不超过2%,使得斯特林发动机成功启动。     

The control of a free-piston engine generator. Part 2: Engine dynamics and piston motion control

Free-piston engines are under investigation by a number of research groups due to potential fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions advantages over conventional technology. The main challenge with such engines is the control of the piston motion, and this has not yet been fully resolved for all types of free-piston engines. This paper builds on the fundamental investigations presented in the accompanying paper and investigates the dynamics of the engine and the feasibility of classical control approaches. The response of the engine to rapid load changes are investigated using decentralised PID, PDF and disturbance feedforward. It is found that the engine is sensitive to rapid load changes but that in constant power applications standard control techniques provide satisfactory performance. The influence of cycle-to-cycle variations in the combustion process are investigated, but not found to be critical for engine operation.     

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.     

微自由活塞发动机HCCI着火界限研究

开展微燃烧室里均质压缩燃烧(Homogeneous charge compression ignition,HCCI)可视化试验,进行定性分析,并以试验为基础建立三维数值模拟计算模型;基于丙烷燃烧化学反应动力学机理,提出自由活塞运动与燃烧过程耦合的计算方式,通过编写STAR-CD软件中的动网格子程序,对微燃烧室里均质气体压缩燃烧过程进行了数值模拟研究;分析了各种参数对微HCCI着火特性的影响,得出在理想模型下的压缩着火界限,即当量纲一参数压缩比不小于55时,均质气体总能压缩着火;并揭示泄漏对均质压缩燃烧过程的影响,得出在不同泄漏间隙尺寸下着火界限的变化情况,为微自由活塞发动机的设计提供一定的理论依据。     

液压自由活塞发动机自激振动的控制

以单活塞液压自由活塞发动机活塞运动控制为目标,研究相应的控制方案。基于单活塞液压自由活塞发动机活塞运动系统的理论分析,同时利用样机建立试验测试平台,对活塞运动控制的理论基础、控制回路和控制方法进行研究。通过控制压缩能量的释放时刻可以实现对活塞运动频率的控制。设计出一种新的先导式控制回路及其自由活塞位置反馈调制控制方法。回路实现了对阀组通流能力的充分利用和活塞极限位置的控制。回路循环能量损失的主要来源是节流和泄漏。单活塞液压自由活塞发动机稳定运行充分条件是实现膨胀过程的完整性。     

耦合动力学的微发动机燃烧过程研究

基于丙烷燃烧化学动力学机理并考虑传热、漏气过程对微型自由活塞发动机均质充量压缩燃烧(HC-CI)过程进行数值模拟研究,结合Star-CD/Kinetics软件实现了自由活塞运动与燃烧过程耦合的计算方法,在此基础上,详细研究了不同参数下微型发动机燃烧过程压力、温度的变化规律,探讨了微发动机循环过程中传热损失和混合气泄漏对微尺度燃烧过程的影响,研究结果表明:当量比、压缩比和自由活塞频率显著影响微发动机燃烧过程,传热损失对微HCCI自由活塞发动机燃烧过程的影响不大,而混合气泄漏损失的影响比较明显.     

电动车用径向充磁自由活塞式永磁直线发电机研究

将直线发电机与自由活塞式发动机组合起来,是串联式混合动力电动汽车辅助动力单元(Auxiliary power unit-APU)的一种新式结构,它可以使系统结构紧凑,有很高的效率和稳定的性能.直线发电机是该系统中的重要组成部分.对圆筒形径向充磁式永磁直线发电机进行了研究,通过有限元仿真计算,对发电机中铁心材料和永磁体的放置方式进行优化,另外还对发电机极数和动子的长度进行了优化,最终得到发电机的效率为95.8%,功率密度为2.9 kW/m3.     

Heat-transfer aspects of Stirling power generation using incinerator waste energy

The integration of a free-piston Stirling engine with linear alternator and an incinerator is able to effectively recover the waste energy and generate electrical power. In this study, a cycle-averaged heat transfer model is employed to investigate the performance of a free-piston Stirling engine installed on an incinerator. With the input of source and sink temperatures and other realistic heat transfer coefficients, the efficiency and the optimal power output are estimated, and the effect induced by internal and external irreversibilities is also evaluated. The proposed approach and modeling results presented in this study provide valuable information for engineers and designers to recover energy from small-scale incinerators.     

Coupled dynamic–multidimensional modelling of free-piston engine combustion

Free-piston engines are under investigation by a number of research groups worldwide, as an alternative to conventional technology in applications such as electric and hydraulic power generation. The piston dynamics of the free-piston engine differ significantly from those of conventional engines, and this may influence in-cylinder gas motion, combustion and emissions formation. Due to the complex interaction between mechanics and thermodynamics, the modelling of free-piston engines is not straight-forward. This paper presents a novel approach to the modelling of free-piston engines through the introduction of solution-dependent mesh motion in an engine CFD code. The particular features of free-piston engines are discussed, and the model for engine dynamics implemented in the CFD code is described. Finally, the coupled solver is demonstrated through the modelling of a spark ignited free-piston engine generator.