This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Conversion of a Homogeneous Charge Air-Cooled Engine for Operation on Heavy Fuels
Technical Paper
2008-32-0023
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
As part of its single-fuel initiative, the US Armed Forces has a desire to operate all of their equipment on JP-8 fuel. Larger applications using diesel engines have been easy to convert, but small gasoline engine conversions have proven more difficult. This paper chronicles problems encountered, successful solutions, and lessons learned during the conversion of a carbureted 2kW Honda generator for use with JP-8 fuel. Cold-start, fuel delivery, load control, and auxiliary systems required significant adaptation. A catalytic plasma torch was used as the ignition source and similar technology was developed to support cold-starting at temperatures down to -40°C. Combustion chamber design and low octane number fuel made it necessary for multiple ignition sources. Load control and auxiliary systems were handled by a custom micro-controller that used RPM, generator output current, head temperature, and a knock sensor as inputs. A fleet of a five engines was assembled as a proof of concept to show repeatability of the conversion concept. One of these engines successfully passed 300 hours of MIL-STD endurance testing, demonstrating robustness of the conversion. Many of the challenges associated with this conversion are analogous to issues that confound engine conversion to a broad spectrum of alternative fuels. Therefore, fundamental and applied research needs for homogeneous charge, catalytically assisted compression ignition are derived from this case study.
Recommended Content
Authors
Citation
Cordon, D., Beyerlein, S., Steciak, J., and Cherry, M., "Conversion of a Homogeneous Charge Air-Cooled Engine for Operation on Heavy Fuels," SAE Technical Paper 2008-32-0023, 2008, https://doi.org/10.4271/2008-32-0023.Also In
References
- Cherry, M. Morrisset R. Beck N. “Extending Lean Limit with Mass-Timed Compression Ignition Using a Plasma Torch,” Society of Automotive Engineers Paper # 921556 1992
- Morton, A.T. “Homogeneous Charge Combustion of Aqueous Ethanol in a High Compression Catalytic Engine,” University of Idaho 2000
- Cordon, D. Walker, M. “Catalytically Assisted Combustion of JP-8 in a 1 kW Low-Compression Genset,” SAE Paper # 2006-32-0024
- United States Department of Defense “Military Standard: Generator Sets, Engine Driven Methods of Tests and Instructions,” 1989
- Cherry, M. Catalytic-Compression Timed Ignition December 18 1990
- Cho, P. Law C. “Catalytic Ignition of Fuel/Oxygen/Nitrogen Mixtures over Platinum,” Combustion and Flame 66 159 170 1986
- Lounsbury, B. L. “Catalytic Ignition Temperatures of Propane-Oxygen-Nitrogen Mixtures over Platinum,” University of Idaho 2007
- Pfefferle, L. “Catalysis in Combustion, Catalysis Reviews,” Science and Engineering 29 219 267 1987
- Heywood, J. Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals McGraw-Hill 1988
- Turns, S. An Introduction to Combustion McGraw-Hill 2000
- Walker, M.C. “Catalytically-Assisted Combustion of JP-8 in a 1 kW Low-Compression Genset,” University of Idaho 2003