Browse Topic: Biofuels

Items (4,178)
Ethers are emerging as suitable mineral diesel replacements. A customized mechanical fuel injection system was used to investigate the dimethyl ether–fueled genset/tractor, and ~75% rated engine load was achieved over diesel. The in-cylinder pressure rise rate was about half for the dimethyl ether engine. However, the lower pressure generated in the high-pressure dimethyl ether line reduced brake thermal efficiency for the dimethyl ether engine. Dimethyl ether engines emitted lower nitrogen oxide emissions than baseline diesel except at higher loads and reduced nozzle opening pressure. Carbon monoxide emissions increased due to prolonged and incomplete combustion at higher loads with reduced nozzle opening pressure. Blowby gas leakage was lower for dimethyl ether than for baseline diesel engines. Overall, the genset/tractor engine could perform satisfactorily using a customized fuel injection system and will help achieve carbon neutrality from the various sectors using this technology.
Agarwal, Avinash KumarPal, ManojitValera, Hardikk
Due to the continuous decrease in fossil fuel resources, and drawbacks of some biofuel properties, in addition to restricted environmental concerns, it becomes a vital manner to innovate some approaches for energy saving and emission reduction. One of the promising approaches is to enhance the fuel properties via adding nanoparticles. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) blended with biofuels get extensive investigations by researchers using conventional diesel engines at relatively limited operating regimes. The objective of this work is to extend these studies using diesel fuel, rather than biofuels, on a high-injection pressure (1400–1600 bar) common rail diesel engine at wide operating conditions and higher CNT concentrations. Experimental results show an increase in peak pressure up to 24.46% than pure diesel when using 100 ppm CNTs concentration. Also, BSFC has decreased by 33.19%, and BTE increased by 54.2% compared to pure diesel fuel at high speeds and loads. NOx and CO2 emissions raised
Moaayet, SayedNeseem, Waleed MohamedAmin, Mohamed IbrahimShahin, Motasem Abdelbaky
As the suitable substitutes for diesel in compression-ignition (CI) piston engines, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODEs), and bio-aviation fuel (BAF), among other oxygenated alternative fuels have been widely recognized due to higher cetane values. To explore the in-cylinder fuel spray dynamics and subsequent fuel–air entrainment of these fuels, experimental studies on near-field and full-field spray characteristics were carried out by the diffuser back-illumination imaging (DBI) method within a constant-volume chamber. The local velocity was inferred by momentum flux conservation and Gaussian radial profile assumption, and the dimensionless Jet number was introduced to qualify the strength of interaction within two-phase flow. It was found that the initial spray transitions from a “needle” to a larger spray head structure as injection pressure rises, especially with PODE3-5 exhibiting a stable “mushroom” structure due to its higher surface tension
Chen, HouchangJiang, JunxinHu, YongYu, WenbinZhao, Feiyang
Lin, RuiAdas, Camilo Abduch
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is widely used in spark ignition engines to reduce throttling losses, decrease exhaust gas temperatures, increase efficiency, and suppress knock. However, the effectiveness of EGR as a knock suppressor is dependent on the fuel type and operating condition. In this study, the effectiveness of EGR to suppress knock was tested with E10, E30, E50, E75, and E100 at a moderately boosted condition. It was found that EGR was effective at suppressing knock with E10, but high EGR rates were required to achieve a knock suppression effect with E30 and E50. No knock suppression effect was observed with E75 and E100 across all tested EGR rates. With E30 and E50, EGR that was passed through a three-way catalyst was more effective at suppressing knock at all EGR rates. Chemkin modeling with neat ethanol revealed that nitric oxide enhanced ignition by increasing the hydroxyl radical concentration in the end gas, resulting in earlier auto-ignition. Directly seeding nitric
Gandolfo, JohnGainey, BrianLawler, Benjamin
Flex fuel vehicles (FFV) can operate effectively from E5 (Gasoline 95%, ethanol 5%) fuel to E100 (Gasoline 0%, ethanol 100%) fuel. It is necessary to meet the performance, drivability, emission targets and regulatory requirements irrespective of fuel mixture combination. This research work focuses on optimizing the combustion efficiency and conversion efficiency of catalytic converter of a spark-ignited less than 200 cc engine for FFV using Taguchi methods robust optimization technique. The study employs an eight-step robust optimization approach to simultaneously minimize engine out emissions and maximize catalytic converter efficiency. Six control factors including type of fuel, catalyst heating rpm, lambda (excess-air ratio), injection end angle, lambda controller delay, and ignition timing are optimized. Four noise factors like compression ratio, clearance volume, catalyst noble metal loading, and catalyst aging are also considered. Through approximately 100 physical experiments on
Vaidyanathan, BalajiArunkumar, PraveenkumarShunmugasundaram, PalaniMurugesan, ManickamJayajothijohnson, Vedhanayagam
Since proportion of wall heat loss takes as high as 20-30% of the total engine heat loss, the reduction of wall heat loss is considered as an effective way to improve the engine thermal efficiency. The heat transfer near the wall boundary layer plays a significant role on the exploration about the mechanism of wall heat transfer which contributes to figuring out the approach to the reduction of wall heat loss. However, the near wall characteristics of heat transfer are still unclear. In this study, the premixed lean methane flame propagation was captured by the high-speed schlieren and the flame behavior in the near-wall region was investigated by the micro CH* chemiluminescence. The temporal histories of the wall temperature and the heat flux are measured by the co-axial thermocouple. The factors including the convective heat transfer coefficient and non-dimensionless numbers, Nusselt number and Reynolds number, were used to characterize the near wall characteristics. Also, the
Xuefeng, XueRun, ChenTie, Li
Reducing CO2 emissions is now a major focus in India heading towards net zero emissions by 2070. India is the 3rd largest automobile market in the world and the transportation sector is the 3rd largest CO2 emitter. In this direction, it is necessary to reduce the carbon footprint from the automobile sector to combat climate change. The adoption of sustainable biofuels such as ethanol will enable us to reduce emissions, as ethanol is carbon neutral fuel. However, vehicle manufacturers are facing challenges in manufacturing flex fuel compatible parts in the vehicle mainly fuel systems. Ethanol has both nonpolar and polar bonds, making it miscible to both gasoline and water, thereby water contamination is inevitable in ethanol blend fuels. In addition, control of ethanol contamination by sulfates and chlorides during ethanol production is challenging. Thus, ethanol blend fuels are considered more corrosive and tendency towards deposit formation than normal gasoline fuels. Design and
Pandi, Dinesh BabuShanmugam, Gomathy PriyaNagarkatti, ArunGopal, ManishAnbalagan, Prathap
This study aims to investigate the effect of ethanol blends on flame propagation and auto-ignition under high pressure and high temperature conditions. Experimental investigations are conducted using n-C7H16 / ethanol blends at various blending ratios (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 70, and 100 vol%). The blends are premixed with air at stoichiometric ratios and ignited centrally in a cylindrical constant-volume combustion chamber (20-mm inner diameter, 80-mm long) under elevated temperature (500 K) and pressure (1.0 MPa) conditions. The results show that auto-ignition occurs at an ethanol blend ratio of 10% or less and ceases above 20%. Increasing the ethanol blend to 70% results in a slight change in flame propagation speed, with a noticeable delay at 100%. The pressure measurements show a peak of about 5.6 MPa at a blend ratio of 5%, which gradually decreases with increasing ratios. High-pass filtering reveals the maximum pressure fluctuation amplitude at the 5% blend ratio, indicating increased
Tateishi, TokuaYamaguchi, RikiShimokuri, DaisukeTerashima, HiroshiHara, TakayaHonda, YuyaKawano, Michiharu
Different approaches are undertaken to mitigate the impact of the transport sector on climate change. Alongside electrifying powertrains, sustainable e-fuels such as polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OME) are considered a promising bridging technology for different applications. However, this requires that the engines are optimized for the new fuels. Accordingly, this study aims to optimize the numerical spray modeling of OME in CONVERGE. Based on the KH–RT break-up model, the spray simulations of three different commercial injectors for heavy-duty applications are analyzed regarding the predictability of the liquid and gaseous penetration lengths and the total simulation time. A sensitivity analysis is conducted for the turbulence model, mesh size, and spray parameters prior to optimizing the spray model and validating it with experimental results. While each parameter individually influences the different phases of the injection event, the sensitivity analysis reveals that the break
Zepf, AndreasHärtl, MartinJaensch, Malte
Increasing global pressure to reduce anthropogenic carbon emissions has inspired a transition from conventional petroleum-fueled internal combustion engines to alternative powertrains, including battery electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids. Hybrids offer a promising solution for emissions reduction by addressing the limitations of pure EVs such as slow recharge and range anxiety. In a previous research endeavor, a prototype high-power density generator was meticulously designed, fabricated, and subjected to testing. This generator incorporated a compact permanent magnet brushless dynamo and a diminutive single-cylinder two-stroke engine with low-technology constructions. This prototype generated 8.5 kW of electrical power while maintaining a lightweight profile at 21 kg. This study investigates the performance and emissions reduction potential by adapting the prototype to operate on methanol fuel. Performance and emissions were experimentally evaluated under varying operating conditions
Gore, MattNonavinakere Vinod, KaushikFang, Tiegang
The transition to fully sustainable fuels, like ethanol, for Formula 1 power units in 2026 introduces challenges related to engine performance and emissions. The lower energy content of these fuels can have a negative impact on power output, while the increased levels of formaldehyde produced during combustion pose an environmental concern. This study aims to evaluate engine performance while meeting the FIA’s 2026 regulations using numerical simulations and to develop a method for estimating formaldehyde emissions produced during combustion. An F1 power unit model was developed in GT-Suite, incorporating all relevant regulations for 2026. The model was validated against literature data for combustion characteristics, such as laminar and turbulent flame speeds, and friction losses. Additionally, compliance with operational limits, such as energy flow restrictions, was confirmed. Suitable elementary and global reaction mechanisms for formation and destruction of formaldehyde were
Fuss, NadineSamuel, Stephen
Dimethyl ether (DME) is widely regarded as a suitable energy source for compression ignition power systems because of its high reactivity. It has been widely reported that DME possesses a significantly low propensity to form soot, hindering the innate NOx-soot trade-off encountered with diesel fuel operation. Beyond the fuel-borne oxygen content of DME, its unique physical properties present a contrasting combustion behavior which may be advantageous to direct injection systems, especially concerning the mixing-controlled combustion mode. This work aims to detail the energy conversion efficacy of DME through heat release characterization and exhaust emission speciation. The tests were controlled within a single-cylinder research engine with an off-board high-pressure injection system to handle liquified DME up to 1000bar. To mitigate interference in fuel additives over the combustion behavior, the high-pressure fuel system specifically managed neat DME. The in-cylinder pressure was the
Leblanc, SimonCong, BinghaoLeach, JaceYu, XiaoReader, GrahamZheng, Ming
Renewable and alternative liquid fuels are being evaluated for their equivalence with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) in terms of engine and emission control system performance. Our previous research showed an elevated lightoff temperature for diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and lower DOC thermal efficiency for biodiesel blends into ULSD with more than 20% biodiesel. Here we report a similar DOC performance study to gage the performance of blends of biodiesel and hydrocarbon renewable diesel (RD) also made from fats and oils feedstocks. The same DOC used previously was used to evaluate RD blends with biodiesel up to 60 vol% (B60R40) in decrements of 10%. The performance of the DOC was evaluated on a steady-state performance cycle and a transient lightoff curve. Similar to previous results, the performance of the DOC is significantly affected by even low blend levels of biodiesel. At low flow rates 50% (B50R50) and higher biodiesel blends have a poor performance defined as the lightoff
Lakkireddy, VenkataWeber, PhillipMcCormick, RobertHowell, Steve
The low emission of carbon and minimum level of soot formation in combustion engines and turbines strategy is adopted by many countries to counteract global warming and climate change. The use of ammonia with hydrocarbon fuels can limit the formation of soot and carbon emissions due to non-carbon atoms. The current study explores the use of ammonia with air at coflow flame conditions, which was not tested before. It may give the choice for diesel cycle engines to use the ammonia either with air or fuel. The combustion and emission characteristics of methane coflow flame were studied at low pressure and air polluted by ammonia conditions. The results showed that a significant decline in carbon formation was observed when ammonia was boosted, 5-10%. The impact of sub-atmospheric pressure, 90-70 KPa, on COx development was higher than that of NH3 addition, 0-5%, thanks to the lower formation of hydroxymethylium, formaldehyde, and aldehyde radical. In the environment of lower pressure, the
Hina, AnamAkram, M ZuhaibShafa, AmnaAkram, M Waqar
Methanol is one of the most promising fuels for the decarbonization of the off-road and transportation sectors. Although methanol is typically considered an alternative fuel for spark ignition engines, mixing-controlled compression ignition (MCCI) combustion is typically preferred in most off-road and medium-and heavy-duty applications due to its high reliability, durability and high-efficiency. In this paper, methanol MCCI combustion was enabled using ignition improvers and the potential benefits of this approach compared to conventional diesel combustion were investigated. Methanol was blended with 7%vol of 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN) and experiments were performed in a single-cylinder production-like diesel engine with a displacement volume of 0.8315 L and a compression ratio of 16.5:1. The conditions of the ISO 8178 C1 regulatory cycle for off-road engines were tested, and performance and emissions over the cycle were calculated. Methanol MCCI shows 5.3% lower fuel consumption (in
Lee, SangukLopez Pintor, DarioMacDonald, JamesNarayanan, AbhinandhanChan, Adrian
The majority of transportation systems continue to rely on internal combustion engines powered by fossil fuels. Heavy-duty applications, in particular, depend on diesel engines due to their high brake efficiency, power density, and robustness. Despite significant advancements in diesel engine technology that have reduced emissions and improved efficiency, complex and costly after-treatment systems remain necessary to meet the stringent emission regulations. Dimethyl ether (DME), which can be produced from various renewable feedstocks and possesses high chemical reactivity, is a promising alternative for heavy-duty applications, particularly in compression ignition direct injection engines. Its high reactivity, volatility, and oxygenated composition offer significant potential to address emission challenges while reducing reliance on after-treatment systems. However, DME’s lower energy density requires adjustments in injection parameters (such as injection pressure and duration) or
Cong, BinghaoLeblanc, SimonTjong, JimiTing, DavidYu, XiaoZheng, Ming
The paper documents the modeling and experimental work on a common rail fuel injection system for Dimethyl Ether, a potential diesel substitute with a low carbon intensity signature. The DME fuel system is deployed on a light duty 2.2L compression ignition engine. The paper describes the injector optimization to shift to higher flows to account for the lower heating value and density of the DME when compared to diesel. The type of the injection system used for the DME application is an advanced rendering of the Common rail noted for a one-piece piston-needle injector construction and a solenoid driven spill valve featuring a pressure balanced poppet. A dedicated high-pressure fuel pump designed to pressurize DME is used. The design results in a fast acting open and close injection event, reduced leakage, with reduced cavitation in the fuel injector volume. Design parameters for system optimization included fill and spill orifices, needle lift, bias spring, and injector hole size. The
De Ojeda, WilliamWu, Simon (Haibao)
This paper explores the potential of leveraging methanol's knock-resistant properties to facilitate both dual fuel (DF) and spark ignition (SI) operation in retrofitted heavy-duty (HD), high-speed marine engines. The study involves retrofitting an original 6-cylinder 7.15L CI diesel engine with port fuel injection (PFI) of methanol to enable DF operation. Later, the diesel injectors were replaced with six spark plugs allowing SI operation. Notably, efforts were made to minimize adaptations to the existing diesel engine, maintaining the compression ratio (CR) at 17.6:1 and retaining the same turbocharging pressure. This research aims to assess the feasibility of retrofitting conventional HD diesel engines (high CR, large bore) for dual-fuel and SI operation on methanol, with a focus on optimizing engine performance, while preserving key characteristics for HD applications, e.g. high torque and high power density. The high CR required spark retarding to prevent knock at higher loads in
Dejaegere, QuintenBallerini, AlbertoDemiddeleer, SheldonVanderbeken, ThomasBracke, KwintenGyselinck, BenD'Errico, GianlucaVerhelst, Sebastian
Controlling the combustion phasing of a multi-fuel compression ignition engine in varying ambient conditions, such as low temperature and pressure, is a challenging problem. Traditionally, engine control is achieved by performing experiments on the engine and building calibration maps. As the number of operating conditions increase, this becomes an arduous task, and model-based controllers have been used to overcome this challenge. While high-fidelity models accurately describe the combustion characteristics of an engine, their complexity limits their direct use for controller development. In recent years, data-driven models have gained much attention due to the available computation power and ease of model development. The accuracy of the developed models, which, in turn, dictates the controller’s performance, depends on the dataset used for building them. Several actuators are required to achieve reliable combustion across different operating conditions, and obtaining extensive
Govind Raju, Sathya AswathSun, ZongxuanKim, KennethKweon, Chol-Bum
Achieving stable HCCI combustion requires specific in-cylinder boundary conditions. Trace residual species, such as nitric oxide (NO), can have an impact on the reactivity, and thus the combustion stability, of different fuels in HCCI. This study investigates the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the reactivity and combustion stability of ethanol and gasoline in a single-cylinder HCCI engine. The promoting and inhibiting impact of NO on iso-octane’s ignition delay time are available in the literature; nevertheless, as a baseline study, these effects on the autoignition of gasoline were documented in this work. For ethanol, the NOx concentration seeded in the intake air varied from 0-1000 ppm while maintaining a constant combustion phasing (CA50 at 7.5 CAD) and a global equivalence ratio of 0.34. Ethanol exhibited a linear reduction in intake temperature, decreasing by 47 K with 927 ppm NO. For gasoline, a 225-ppm increase in NO reduced the intake temperature required for HCCI by 40 K
Bhatt, AnkurGandolfo, JohnVedpathak, KunalLawler, BenjaminGainey, Brian
This research experimentally investigates the spray vaporization of high-pressure dimethyl ether (DME) using a single-hole research injector focusing on nominal operating conditions from the Engine Combustion Network (ECN). DME is a synthetic alternative to diesel fuel, offering both high reactivity and potential reductions in particulate emissions. Because DME only features half of the energy density of diesel fuel, a specifically designed fuel system with a high mass flow rate to meet the energy delivery requirements is needed. The unique physical properties of DME, including higher vapor pressure and lower viscosity, introduce challenges like cavitation and unique evaporation characteristics that deviate from typical diesel fuel. These features are likely to lead to differences in fuel mixing and combustion. This study aims to provide detailed experimental data on DME spray characteristics under engine-like conditions, helping the development of predictive CFD models for optimal
Yi, JunghwaWan, KevinPickett, LyleManin, Julien
In the United States (US), the off-road sector (i.e., agriculture, construction, etc.) contributes to approximately 10% of the country’s transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, similar to the aviation sector. The off-road sector is extremely diverse; as the EPA MOVES model classifies it into 11 sub-sectors, which include 85 different types of equipment. These equipment types have horsepower ranging from 1 to greater than 3000 and have very different utilization, which makes decarbonization a complex endeavor. To address this, Argonne’s on-road vehicle fleet model, VISION, has been expanded to the off-road sector. The GHG emission factors for several energy carriers (biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen) have been incorporated from Argonne’s GREET model for a sector-wide well-to-wheel (WTW) GHG emissions analysis of the present and future fleet. Several technology adoption and energy decarbonization scenarios were modeled to better understand the appropriate actions required to
Tripathi, ShashwatKolodziej, ChristopherGohlke, DavidBurnham, AndrewZhou, YanLongman, Douglas
Prior study with biodiesel and its blends with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and renewable diesel (RD) showed that a commercial diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) is unable to effectively oxidize neat biodiesel (B100) or high-level biodiesel blends injected into the exhaust of a diesel engine at challenging conditions of low temperature, high exhaust flow rate and high dosing rate. In steady-state performance tests, the performance of blends up to B50 in ULSD or RD was nearly equivalent to ULSD at the lowest exhaust flow rate or for exhaust temperature over 340°C for medium and high flows. ULSD blends above 50 vol% biodiesel exhibited reduced thermal efficiency and DOC outlet temperature with increasing dosing rate and required exhaust temperatures over 400°C to achieve similar performance as ULSD. For RD blends at higher flow rates and temperatures below 300°C even B10 blends showed some loss in performance at the highest dosing rates. Data showed an increase in lightoff temperature
Lakkireddy, VenkataWeber, PhillipMcCormick, RobertHowell, Steve
Decarbonized or low carbon fuels, such as hydrogen/methane blends, can be used in internal combustion engines to support ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals worldwide, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. However, as the volumetric concentration of H2 in these fuel blends surpasses 30%, the in-cylinder flame propagation and combustion rates increase significantly, causing an unacceptable increase in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, which is known to have substantial negative effects on human health and the environment. This rise in engine-out NOx emissions is a major concern, limiting the use of H2 fuels as a means to reduce GHG emissions from both mobile and stationary power generation engines. In this study, an experimental investigation of the combustion performance and emissions characteristics of a 4th generation Tour split-cycle engine was undertaken while operating on 100% methane and various hydrogen/methane fuel blends (30%, 40%, and 50% by volume
Bhanage, PratikCho, KukwonAnderson, BradleyKemmet, RyanTour, GiladAtkinson, ChrisTour, HugoTour, Oded
Drop-in gasoline fuels that originate from renewable, low-net-carbon sources, such as methanol-to-gasoline (MTG), are an important bridge in the transition between traditional fossil fuels and electrification of the transportation sector. The composition of these fuels can be tuned by adjusting the settings of the chemical processes used to create them, which can be leveraged to formulate optimized fuels for higher knock resistance or higher flame speed. This study investigated how the distribution of hydrocarbon classes and molecular structure of a renewable MTG gasoline surrogate affected knock and flame speed using chemical kinetic modeling. The original MTG surrogate was modified by increasing the relative amount of a certain hydrocarbon class while the concentration of other hydrocarbon classes is reduced equally. Increasing normal- and iso-alkanes increased reactivity and penalized octane sensitivity, olefins increased octane sensitivity while keeping the research octane number
MacDonald, JamesLopez Pintor, DarioMatsubara, NaoyoshiKitano, KojiYamada, Ryota
Low-carbon alternatives to diesel are needed to reduce the carbon intensity of the transport, agriculture, and off-grid power generation sectors, where compression ignition (CI) engines are commonly used. Acid-catalysed alcoholysis produces a potentially tailorable low-carbon advanced biofuel blend comprised of mixtures of an alkyl levulinate, a dialkyl ether, and the starting alcohol. In this study, model mixtures based on products expected from the use of n-butanol (butyl-based blends) as a starting alcohol, were blended with diesel and tested in a Yanmar L100V single-cylinder CI engine. Blends were formulated to meet the flash point, density, and kinematic viscosity limits of fuel standards for diesel, the 2022 version of BS 2869 (off-road). No changes to the engine set-up were made, hence testing the biofuel blends for their potential as “drop-in” fuels. Changes in engine performance and emissions were determined for a range of diesel/biofuel blends and compared to a pure diesel
Wiseman, ScottLi, HuTomlin, Alison S.
This experimental study presents preliminary investigations of prechamber-enabled mixing-controlled combustion (PC-MCC) at −2 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) and 2200 rpm with fuel-grade ethanol (E98). Experimental results are conducted on a prechamber retrofitted single-cylinder Caterpillar C9.3B test engine. First, a series of prechamber-only experiments were conducted with a motored engine to evaluate the salient combustion trends in response to relevant prechamber operating parameters. Under firing conditions, the prechamber operating strategy was assessed with respect to the impact on ignition assistance of direct-injected E98 and overall engine performance. The preliminary results indicate the jet-induced ignition process is robust and prompts diffusion combustion of E98 at diesel-like boundary conditions. The effect of external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on the residual tolerance of the prechamber combustion process was also investigated and showed stable
Zeman, JaredDempsey, Adam
To reduce carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles, the introduction of electric vehicles to the market is important; however, it is challenging to replace all existing IC engine vehicles with electric ones. Consequently, there is increasing anticipation for the use of carbon-neutral fuels, such as e-fuels. This study investigates the effects of GTL (gas-to-liquid), as a substitute for e-fuel, produced from natural gas via the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis method and polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether (OMEmix) produced from methanol, on engine performance. Additionally, combustion image analysis was conducted using a rapid compression and expansion machine (RCEM). GTL fuel combusts similarly to conventional diesel fuel but has slightly lower smoke emissions because it does not contain aromatic hydrocarbons. Further, its high cetane number results in better ignition properties. During the combustion, unburnt hydrocarbons and smoke are generated in the spray flame interference region near the
Shibata, GenYuan, HaoyuYamamoto, HiroyaTanaka, ShusukeOgawa, Hideyuki
The huge energy demand and environmental anxiety have focused the interest on alternative fuels to the diesel engine. This suggested the worldwide search for renewable, less pollutant and agricultural-based alternative fuel. Also, attention is given to increasing the efficiency of a conventional diesel engine when running on alternative fuels. Non-edible oil derived from Pongamia pinnata and Azadirachta indica seed oil blends as an alternative fuel have been considered for this study. Using Copper oxide (5% w/w), the two oils were transesterified for 6 hours at a temperature of 75 °C and a methanol to oil ratio of 20:1. The biodiesel samples that were produced underwent FTIR and GC-MS analysis. The results indicated that the FAME conversion for the biodiesel derived from Azadirachta indica and Pongamia pinnata was 99.19% and 97.93%, respectively. Diesel engine combustion components, viz., the piston crown and liner, were coated with Aluminium titanate thermal barrier material. The
R, SureshR, AshwinUppuluri, KiranbabuT, MohanRaj
Biomass fuels, such as sawdust and groundnut shells, are increasingly recognized as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. However, their high moisture content and loose structure result in low thermal efficiency. To improve performance, pellet forms of these fuels are often used. Naturally available raw and pellet forms of Sawdust, groundnut shell fuels have been utilized in this study. This study evaluates and compares the thermal efficiency of a gasifier cook stove and emissions from the combustion of raw and pellet forms of biomass fuels. It was found that the burning rate and firepower increase significantly with the use of pellet from of fuels. Sawdust pellets exhibited a highest thermal efficiency of 22.41%. The hydrocarbon (HC) levels for groundnut shell pellets were observed to range between 1 and 5 parts per million (ppm), while for sawdust pellets, it was observed to range from 1 to 6 ppm, indicating the preferable usage of pellets as fuel over raw form of biomass fuel.
Prasad, Malladi JogendraVangipurapu, Bapi Raju
The rising demand for fossil fuels and the exploration of renewable energy sources from plants have gained significant attention due to their role in reducing emissions and enhancing energy security. Prosopis juliflora, abundantly available in India, offers a viable source for biodiesel production. This study investigates the performance and emission characteristics of a 5.2 kW, 1500 rpm, four-stroke single-cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine using blends of diesel, vegetable oil, and biodiesel derived from Prosopis juliflora seeds. The engine was tested with pure diesel, vegetable oil (PJO), biodiesel (B100), and biodiesel-diesel blends at 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% by volume, designated as B20, B40, B60, and B80, respectively. Key performance metrics, including brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific energy consumption (BSEC), were measured, along with emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), smoke, hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NO). Results indicated that BTE
Duraisamy, BoopathiStanley Martin, JeromeThiyagarajan, PrakashRajendran, SilambarasanMarutholi, MubarakJohn, Godwin
In response to rising emissions and pollutants, an alternative and environmentally friendly synthesis is gaining prominence on the energy sources. The leather industries generate substantial amount of waste and fleshing oil extracted from fleshing which is rich in lipids and presents a viable feedstock for biodiesel production. In this research work, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is used to optimize the conversion of leather fleshing oil into biodiesel using three parameters such as operating temperature, reaction time, and molar ratio. Experiments were carried out to determine the most optimal conditions and the response on yield (%) and viscosity (mm2/s) based on a 17-run Box–Behnken Design matrix. Stochastic model parameters such as R2 (0.9715 and 0.9793), adjusted R2 (0.9349 and 0.9527), predicted R2 (0.8327 and 0.7656), and high F-values (26.52 and 36.78) of both responses (yield and viscosity) were found to be statistically significant and warranted model adequacy. ANOVA and
P, KanthasamySelvan, Arul MozhiP, Shanmugam
The primary issues in using pure vegetable oils for internal combustion engines are their high soot output and reduced thermal efficiency. Therefore in the present investigation, a Heavea Brasiliensis biodiesel (HBB) is used as a carbon source of fuel and ethoxy ethane as a combustion accelerator on a compression ignition (CI) engine. In this investigation, an only one cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled DI diesel engine with a rated output of 4.4 kW at 1500 rpm was utilized. Whereas heavea brasiliensis biodiesel was delivered straightly into the cylinder at almost close to the end of compression stroke and ethoxy ethane was sprayed instantly in the intake manifold in the event of intake stroke. At various loads, the parameter of ethoxy ethane volume rate were optimised. To minimise exhaust emissions, an air plasma spray technology was employed to cover the engine combustion chamber with a thermal barrier coating. Because of its adaptability for high-temperature applications, YSZ (Yttria
Sagaya Raj, GnanaNatarajan, ManikandanPasupuleti, Thejasree
NASA's Cryogenic Flux Capacitor (CFC) capitalizes on the energy storage capacity of liquefied gases. By exploiting a unique attribute of nano-porous materials, aerogel in this case, fluid commodities such as oxygen, hydrogen, methane, etc. can be stored in a molecular surface-adsorbed state. This cryogenic fluid can be stored at low to moderate pressure densities, on par with liquid, and then quickly converted to a gas, when the need arises. This solution reduces both safety-related logistics issues and the limitations of complex storage systems.
Methanol, with its abundant production, mature synthesis process, well-established storage and transportation infrastructure, and no need to return the dehydrogenated product, is considered to be an ideal hydrogen carrier, is expected to play a great role in the energy transition of the transportation sector and the construction of a hydrogen transportation system. This paper focuses on the hydrogen energy supply system using methanol as a carrier, briefly introduces the basics of methanol production and transportation, and then focuses on the different routes of using methanol in hydrogen transportation infrastructure and vehicles from the perspectives of technology, economy, safety, and commercialization process. Finally, the impacts of the different routes of introducing methanol on hydrogen transportation are compared and analyzed, and the role of methanol in the energy supply of hydrogen transportation is elaborated.
Zhao, XinlongHuo, TianqingHuang, YeZheng, HuaanShi, TongqiangZhang, XuYang, FushengWu, ZhenZhang, Zaoxiao
Diesel/Polymethoxy Dimethyl Ether (PODE) blend fuel can significantly reduce emissions from diesel engines. However, emission levels often vary due to high transients during real-world driving conditions. To evaluate the emission and economic performance of diesel/PODE blend fuel, this study analyzed the real-world driving behavior of heavy tractors using different blend ratios (0%, 20%, 30%) across urban, suburban, and expressway road sections, in compliance with the national VI emission standard. Based on Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) bins, the study compared carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, and fuel consumption rates between pure diesel and blended fuels, providing insights into their performance under varying driving conditions. In addition, specific emissions of pollutants, effective fuel consumption, and effective thermal efficiency for urban, suburban, and expressway sections, as well as for the entire test process, are analyzed to quantify the
Liu, HeYang, YajingFarooq, Muhammad ShahidLiu, ShenghuaWei, Yanju
In order to clarify the cavitation flow characteristics in future fuel nozzles and guide the design of new nozzle structural blocks, this research work was carried out in both experimental and simulation aspects. In the experiment, it was found that under high injection pressure, methanol showed more severe cavitation than diesel. By adding frosted glass, a better light effect was achieved in the nozzle hole. It was found that the front section of the nozzle had geometric induced cavitation, the middle section had vortex cavitation, and the rear section had expanded vortex cavitation. Traditional numerical models cannot accurately calculate this phenomenon. To this end, the two-phase physical properties that change with temperature and pressure were constructed, combined with multiphase, turbulence, and energy models, CFD calculations were performed and verified based on visualization results. On this basis, a comparative analysis of the flow mechanism in future fuel and traditional
Zhang, HanwenFan, LiyunLi, BoWei, YunpengZhang, Dianhao
Flex-fuel vehicles play a crucial role in energy conservation and emission reduction; however, they often rely on expensive fuel identification sensors at the nozzle to accurately control the blending ratio. To reduce costs and enhance engine flexibility, this paper presents a flexible fuel proportion identification algorithm that utilizes exhaust oxygen content measured by the oxygen sensor and engine air intake data. Additionally, the algorithm incorporates air intake feedback control and λ feedback control, which adjusts both the throttle opening and fuel mass of the flex-fuel engine, ensuring optimal operating conditions at all times. A methanol-gasoline flex-fuel engine model was developed using GT-Power, and the algorithm model was implemented in Simulink software. Then, a co-simulation model of GT-Power and Simulink is established. In the GT-Power engine model, three parameters—engine speed, load, and methanol blending ratio—are set for the sweep points. The algorithm model in
Qian, PengfeiNan, TiantianLuo, WeixingDu, YangWang, LongChen, Zhanming
The combustion performance test under different injection parameters was carried out on an inline 6-cylinder spark-ignition (SI) methanol engine, and the influence mechanism of injection parameters on methanol evaporation, mixing, combustion and emission was revealed through simulation. The results indicate that compared to the low-flow nozzle scheme (14*D0.26), when adopting the high-flow nozzle scheme (16*D0.30), the injection duration is shorter. The evaporation rate of methanol in the intake port is increased, the amount of methanol droplets and wall-attached liquid film in the cylinder is reduced, and the temperature in the cylinder is elevated. Moreover, the changes are more significant under high-load operating conditions. The change in the methanol charge rate during the intake process leads to a slightly higher inhomogeneity of the in-cylinder mixture. The relatively high temperature in the cylinder and the appropriate increase in the mixture concentration on the exhaust side
Zhang, ZhiLiu, HaifengLi, YongzhiChang, WeideShu, ZanqiaoJu, ChengyuanRatlamwala, Tahir Abdul HussainYao, Mingfa
With the global promotion of carbon neutrality policies, internal combustion engine (ICE) of traditional fossil fuel is gradually transitioning to carbon neutral fuel ICE, and hybrid dedicated engines are gradually replacing traditional internal combustion engines in the passenger car market. Ultra-lean combustion supported by active pre-chamber is one of the key technologies for achieving high thermal efficient over 45% BTE. However, there are still issues like cold start and PN emissions caused by impingement of liquid fuel injection in pre-chamber, and there is still room for improvement in thermal efficiency by less energy of pilot ignition fuel. Gaseous fuel such as hydrogen or methane have no wetting issues, and can be more easily controlled in terms of the injection amount in pre-chamber, thereby using a less amount of gaseous fuel as the pilot ignition fuel could be a solution. Due to the above situation, this article conducted experiments on a lean burn gasoline engine by
Liu, YaodongLiu, MingliHe, ZhentaoLi, XianZhao, ChuanQian, DingchaoQu, HanshiLi, Jincheng
Methanol is an main type clean energy and it taken important part for the future internal combustion engine technology. The Equivalent air-fuel ratio (AFR) is very import for the engine combustion of methanol. And a lot of case the ratio between methanol and gasoline is not the constant number. There are no studies about AFR when fuel ratio is arbitrary in the currently. The AFR changes obviously if the tank was fueled with gasoline by mistake at a methanol spark ignition engine. Emission will be affected heavily at this situation because the AFR of gasoline is 2 times more than methanol. Some fuel trim adaptation error will be detected by engine controller or even the engine will stall if engine controller keep use the previous AFR to do the fuel injection control. The Investigation provide a relevant AFR adaption strategy based on lambda sensor and the fuel pipes configuration. The strategy was proved valid by some simulation cases to reduce lambda disturbance, optimize emission
Liu, YiqiangZhong, JunQian, PengfeiQiao, ZhiweiZhu, DeleiZhong, ShuangleiDong, YanzhaoYu, Xiuju
Nowadays, the energy transition is at the most critical moment. In order to achieve the emission reduction target of ships, a form of boosting piston inside methanol fuel injector has been carried out. The physical property fluctuations and phase change of methanol under high pressure have been considered in the design phase. 1D-3D coupling method is used to comprehensively evaluate the performace of the injector. To this end, an Amesim simulation model is established to systematically study and analyze the injection characteristics. The injection performance of the injector under four typical loads are calculated, which is evaluated from the perspectives of injection quantity, injection duration, valve response, and leakage of boost components. In the nozzle block, the cavitation intensity of methanol is stronger than that of diesel. To reduce the possibility of cavitation erosion, as a consequence, a CFD model is established to optimize the structure of nozzle components. By adding
Yang, LiWen, LimingZhang, HanwenLu, GangaoDong, Weijie
In order to realize the Paris Agreement, which aims to strengthen the global response to climate change, conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) need to contribute to reducing carbon emissions and improving thermal efficiency. More importantly, in the face of energy shortages, it is urgent to search for sustainable fuels. Poly-oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODE) and methanol are both regard as important low-carbon, alternative fuels due to their high oxygen content. Using PODE can overcome the characteristics of methanol as a low-reactivity fuel with a low cetane number and poor ignition properties. In this study, the combustion and emission characteristics of PODE/methanol blends were investigated in a two-stroke direct injection engine. Firstly, the performance of the engine under pure PODE (P100) and PODE/methanol blends (P50) was compared. The results show that at BMEP of 0.31 MPa and injection timing of -8°CA ATDE, P50 blends have lower CO2, CO, NOX and THC emissions than
Dong, PengboSun, ZhuohanWang, QingyangWang, YangCui, JingchenZhang, ZhenxianLong, Wuqiang
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