Browse Topic: Methanol

Items (1,052)
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Coelho, Gabriella VilelaAlvarez, Carlos Eduardo CastillaRibeiro, Jessica Oliveira Notório
Flex-fueled vehicles (FFV) dominate the Brazilian market, accounting for over 75% of the national fleet. Ethanol fuel is widely used, primarily in the form of hydrated ethyl alcohol fuel (HEAF). Given the similar physicochemical properties of ethanol and methanol, fuel adulteration is a growing concern, often involving the addition of anhydrous ethanol, methanol, or even water to hydrated ethanol. These adulterants are visually imperceptible and can only be detected through analyses conducted by regulatory agencies using specialized instruments. However, they can significantly affect vehicle performance and accelerate engine component deterioration. The experiment was performed with a small displacement 3-cylinder port fuel injection flex-fuel engine on an engine test bench (dynamometer) and compared when fueled with ethanol and methanol. Data acquisition included combustion pressure, spark plug temperature, torque, air-fuel ratio, fuel flow, spark maps, and the overall effects of
Mascarenhas, Giovana RebellatoGomes, EdersonCruz, DiegoDuque, Edson Luciano
Alcohol fuels are regarded as a feasible approach to address rising energy demands and reduce the dependency on fossil fuels, with ethanol and methanol emerging as a promising renewable fuel for spark-ignition engines. In this research work, tests were performed on a spark ignition engine altered from a diesel engine that employs ethanol/methanol-gasoline blend as fuel operating under lean conditions. The experiments were conducted at 10.5:1 compression ratio and 1500 rpm under full throttle condition with three fuel blends namely M10 (10% of methanol+ 90% gasoline), E10 (10% of ethanol+ 90% gasoline), E5M5 (5% of each ethanol and methanol+ 90% gasoline). Investigational results reveals that alcohol-gasoline blends displayed low COV of IMEP. Furthermore, the alcohol-gasoline mixtures enhanced the peak in-cylinder pressure owing to improved flame speed and flammability limits. Adopting lean-burn operation and high compression ratio can efficiently improve combustion attributes in an
Devunuri, SureshPorpatham, Dr. E
Alcohol fuels, produced from renewable energy sources, are considered a crucial solution for achieving life-cycle carbon neutrality in internal combustion engines. The Boosted Uniflow Scavenged Direct-Injection Combustion Engine (BUSDICE) exhibits significant potential for high thermal efficiency with an aggressive downsizing design. In this study, a computational investigation was carried out to assess the spray mixing and combustion characteristics of BUSDICE fuelled with methanol and ethanol, compared with gasoline, under a high-load condition. The injection duration of methanol and ethanol is significantly longer than that of iso-octane, leading to incomplete evaporation. The mixture exhibits an “outer-rich, central-lean” stratification pattern due to the short mixing time and swirl flow transportation for all three fuels. However, the prolonged injection of methanol induces stronger turbulence, which can enhance the local mixing. The spatial mixture stratification, particularly
Feng, YizhuoLu, EnshenDong, ShuoKeshtkar, HosseinWang, XinyanZhao, Hua
Various fuels are being considered as the next generation of carbon neutral fuels, including methanol, ethanol, and SAF. These have widely different ignition properties. Methanol and ethanol are high-octane fuels, so there are no major problems with their use in gasoline engines. However, SAF is a hydrocarbon with a large molecular weight, so it has a fundamentally low octane rating and is not easy to use in SI engines. In order to put carbon-neutral fuels of various properties into practical use, it is effective to develop a technology that allows fuels with low octane to be operated in SI engines. Therefore, in this study, basic research was conducted on the combustion of fuels with low octane using PRF fuel in opposed-piston engines. Opposed piston engines are characterized by their light weight due to the absence of a cylinder head, low S/V ratio due to the ultra-long stroke, reduced cooling loss due to the long stroke, and reduced vibration due to the offsetting of the
Yamazaki, YoshiakiOkawara, IkumiLiu, JinruIijima, Akira
Methanol obtained from regenerative sources is a renewable fuel with many advantages when used in a spark ignition combustion process. Methanol has a comparatively high enthalpy of vaporization, leading to lower combustion temperatures (compared to gasoline combustion) and, hence, lower wall heat losses as well as a reduced tendency to autoignition. Several cold start methods were examined for this paper. In a serial hybrid powertrain with one internal combustion engine, ICE, and one electric machine, the load demand of the ICE can be controlled for best efficiency. The ICE is operated on liquid renewable fuel, which provides a high volumetric and gravimetric power density, easy energy storage, delivered from a very cost effective already existing infrastructure of fuel distribution. The electric machine provides comfortable electric driving, high efficiency, locally and temporary zero emissions. The eFuel should be produced from a closed carbon cycle. Methanol is a challenging fuel
Dobberkau, MaximilianWerner, RonnyAtzler, Frank
The morphology and collapsing behavior of fuel sprays play a critical role in determining atomization and vaporization characteristics, directly influencing combustion efficiency and emission formation in direct injection systems. In this study, spray dynamics and collapsing processes of methanol and gasoline fuels were examined using a lateral-cylinder-mounted direct injection (DI) injector in a constant volume combustion chamber (CVCC). A tomographic imaging technique was applied to analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of fuel sprays. Extinction imaging was performed to capture the distribution of droplets within the spray, and the liquid volume fraction (LVF) was quantified based on the Beer-Lambert law. By acquiring extinction images from multiple viewing angles, 3D tomographic reconstructions of the spray morphology were achieved, providing detailed insights into the structural evolution of the sprays during injection. The high latent heat of vaporization of methanol
Kim, HyunsooLee, SeungwonBae, SuminHwang, JoonsikBae, Choongsik
Low carbon, though poorly igniting (i.e., low cetane) fuels, such as methanol, ethanol, and ammonia, are gaining momentum in the maritime fuel market. The most adopted strategy to address the fact that these fuels will not, under typical two-stroke marine engine conditions, auto-ignite, is to co-inject a pilot fuel, such as (very) low sulfur marine fuel oil, which does auto-ignite and furthermore doubles as a spark of sorts for the poorly igniting base fuel. This so-called dual-fuel approach is costly and cumbersome. Cetane boosters are known to improve ignitability of alcohol fuels to the point that a pilot fuel is no longer required. In our earlier research, we found some indication that lignin model compounds could likewise improve the ignitability of alcohols. This paper builds further on this hypothesis, now using commercially available lignin rather than model compounds. Auto-ignition behavior of methanol and ethanol was investigated with up to 10 wt% of therein solubilized
Sementa, PaoloTornatore, CinziaCatapano, FrancescoLazzaro, MaurizioIannuzzi, StefanoKouris, PanosBoot, Michael
Emissions reduction and carbon neutrality are two obligations to fulfil in order to ensure a clean and bearable planet for the future. The diversification of energy carriers is one of the keys to achieving a concrete and time-effective solution, and methanol can be one of the possible ways to reach carbon neutrality, showing many positive characteristics to be used as fuel for internal combustion engines (ICEs). Using methanol as a fuel or in a blend can greatly reduce exhaust gases composition, with a great impact on CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, some challenges have to be overcome to exploit the whole potential of methanol as a fuel. The aim of this work is to investigate which aspects can improve the mixture formation using a 4-cylinder gasoline engine fuelled with methanol. The study was conducted numerically, by means of a virtual engine test bench, considering two different operating points, the former at high engine speed and load, the latter in a lower load region of the engine
Tortorella, CristianRossi, EdoardoVacca, AntoninoChiodi, MarcoKulzer, Andre Casal
Methanol is gaining interest as a renewable fuel for Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) applications. A key challenge for this fuel is its low evaporation rate at low temperatures, which makes cold-starts problematic, particularly in cold climate conditions. The first combustion cycles are characterized by a low combustion chamber temperature and high engine friction. In previous work by the authors, a practical approach was presented to pre-heat the pistons and pre-condition the bearings, thereby reducing friction. In this article, in-cylinder Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling is used to study the charge preparation of a DI-SI methanol ICE up to the end of compression. The model is calibrated in-house using measurements from a warm methanol engine. The piston temperature is varied within the range expected from the pre-heating and pre-lubricating device. Friction reduction is translated into the reduced amount of fuel needed to generate the IMEP required to idle the engine
Bovo, MirkoMubarak Ali, Mohammed Jaasim
As energy security and sustainability becomes important, the role of alternative fuels, particularly methanol, is becoming increasingly significant. While the feasibility of methanol as a substitute for diesel fuel has been explored, understanding of emissions from methanol-fueled compression-ignition engines remains limited, even though these engines are known to emit formaldehyde (CH2O) due to methanol’s chemical structure and oxidation pathways. In this study, a quantitatively measurable mid-IR laser-based extinction methodology was employed to understand CH2O formation in a methanol mixing-controlled compression ignition (MCCI) engine. Stable methanol MCCI combustion was achieved with the addition of 5%vol 2-ethylhexly nitrate (EHN) and by using a triple injection strategy (pilot + pilot + main), and CH2O emissions were measured with high temporal resolution by laser extinction while sweeping the injection timing. In addition, the injection strategy was systematically varied by
Lee, SangukLopez Pintor, DarioNarayanan, Abhinandhan
Flash boiling atomization is considered a promising atomization technique for combustion applications in automotive powertrains. It can potentially address the deteriorated atomization issue for alternative fuels (such as methanol) in internal combustion engines. However, it has been observed that flash boiling spray atomization for methanol fuels is not as effective as that for traditional alkane-based fuels. This work aims to explain such phenomena using transparent nozzles to reveal the impact of internal vaporization on external spray breakups. Three different working fluids, including methanol, ethanol, and pentane, are tested with elevated temperatures. The flow patterns and external liquid breakup are shown with the high-speed imaging technique. It is found that the internal phase change of the base working fluid is suppressed when ethanol or methanol is used instead of pentane. Consequently, the external liquid breakup is also hindered due to insufficient vapor phase inside the
Zhang, YijiaLi, YilongWang, ShangningZeng, TingxiXu, MinHung, DavidLi, Xuesong
The working conditions of combustion systems have been going extreme under the desire of human beings exploring the unknown. Cold environments can be a significant impact on the spraying of fuel not only by changing the fuel properties including viscosity and surface tension, but also by freezing the parts. In the present study, methanol spray from a commercial injector is studied via high-speed imaging, with the liquid fuel being frozen to sub-zero degrees at the injector tip. It is observed that water components from the environment will freeze at the injector tip, creating crystal structures on the surface. During the injection, the ice components will be flushed by the liquid, and the spray morphology of the starting cycle will be strongly altered, resulting in wider spray angles, much shorter penetrations, and particle structures can be observed in the downstream of the flow field. The results of the experiment provide a clear view and quantified evaluation of the freezing impact
Zeng, TingxiWang, ShangningZhang, YijiaHung, DavidXu, Min
Considering the large opportunity to reduce net lifecycle carbon emissions through the use of renewable methanol, we address spray technologies needed to overcome the challenge of wall wetting and poor vaporization for methanol and the need for improved computational modeling of these processes. High-speed extinction imaging followed by computed tomography reconstruction is utilized to provide three-dimensional liquid volume fraction for reference fuel injectors, to be used for model validation activities. The first injector is the symmetric 8-hole Spray M injector for the Engine Combustion Network, and the second injector is an asymmetric 6-hole injector designed for lateral-cylinder mounting. The degree of plume interaction and vaporization are characterized at representative injection conditions, showing substantially higher concentrations of liquid for methanol than gasoline even with preheated fuel temperatures (90 degrees C). In light of higher injected mass requirements for
Wan, KevinClemente Mallada, RafaelBuen, ZacharyWhite, LoganOh, HeechangDhanji, MeghnaaPickett, Lyle
Methanol is significantly emerging as a promising alternative fuel in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. This study aims to analyze the combustion characteristics of methanol in a spark-ignition (SI) engine operating under high compression ratios and ultra-lean conditions through both experimental and simulation approaches. The objective is to derive optimized combustion efficiency by employing various ignition strategies based on discharge energy. To this end, experiments were conducted using a Rapid Compression Expansion Machine (RCEM) to replicate realistic engine environments. The effects of discharge energy and spark duration across different spark coil configurations were investigated through both experimental methods and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The experimental results showed that the use of multiple spark coils achieved an energy release rate of approximately 239 mJ/s, more than twice that of the single-coil configuration. Simulation results were in good
Choi, JeongyeonLim, Ocktaeck
Methanol is a promising fuel for achieving carbon neutrality in the transportation sector, particularly for internal combustion engine vehicles. With its high-Octane number, methanol enables higher thermal efficiency compared to gasoline engines. Additionally, its wide flammability range allows stable engine operation under lean burn conditions at low to mid-load levels. These characteristics make methanol well-suited for lean-burn strategies, which reduce pumping losses and enhance thermal efficiency. However, there remains a lack of studies on the influence of injection timing under different lean conditions, particularly in a wall-guided spark ignition engine. Wall-guided systems use the chamber wall or piston surface to redirect and stratify the fuel-air mixture near the spark plug at the time of ignition. The combustion performance of lean-burn engines in highly sensitive to variations in injection and excess air ratio. In this study, experiments were conducted on a single
Lee, SeungwonKim, HyunsooHwang, JoonsikBae, Choongsik
This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic assessment (TEA) of an integrated e-methanol production system building upon previously published foundational research utilizing Aspen Plus modeling for e-methanol production from sugar cane and sugar beet biomass. The established integrated system converts biomass into ethanol through fermentation and synthesizes e-methanol using both captured CO2 and syngas derived from biomass residue gasification. This approach maximizes CO2 and biomass utilization, promoting a circular carbon economy. The TEA quantifies capital expenditures (CAPEX), operational expenditures (OPEX), and levelized costs of Methanol (LCOM), providing a detailed economic analysis of the potential for commercializing e-methanol. A sensitivity analysis evaluates the impact of feedstock prices and Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), identifying key leverage points affecting financial viability. The study aims to explore the potential of utilizing existing agricultural
Fernandes, Renston JakeShakeel, Mohammad RaghibNguyen, DucduyIm, Hong G.Turner, James W.G.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Biofuels are gaining significant global attention as renewable and alternative energy sources, produced from various materials through different extraction methods and conversion processes. Food industry generates not only substantial organic waste, presenting economic and ecological challenges but also potential opportunities for valorization. This study focuses on recovering industrial fish waste from the manufacture of canned tuna, specifically targeting non-food and abundant fish co-products such as heads, bones, skin, and viscera, which constitute nearly 50% of the fish body. The process involves several steps: oil extraction using Soxhlet extraction, purification, and conversion into biodiesel via transesterification, followed by physicochemical analysis. The experiments revealed that 32.41% of fish waste was in the liquid phase (a mixture of hexane and oil), and the extracted oil accounted for 26.56% of the total fish waste weight (from 1.012 kg of waste, approximately 268.78 g
Bousbaa, HamzaNAIMA, KhatirLamia, MedjahedBenramdane, MohammedBalasubramanian, DhineshJohnson, Anish Jafrin Thilak
Because it can be produced in a green form methanol is envisioned as a potential fuel replacing conventional Diesel fuel to directly reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) impact of maritime transportation. For these reasons, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are working to make methanol easier to use in Compression Ignition (CI) engines. While it is an easy to use substance with manageable energy content, methanol has a few drawbacks, such as: high latent heat of vaporization, high auto-ignition temperature. These drawbacks have an impact on the quality of combustion and therefore solutions have to be found and are still being studied to give methanol a Diesel like behavior. One solution is to use a pilot fuel for ignition in quantities that remain high (> 20 %). A previous study carried out at the PRISME laboratory highlighted the possibility of using a Combustion Enhancer based on Nitrates (CEN) at additive levels. Here the CEN impact in methanol is studied through the use of a New One
Samson, RichardMorin, Anne-GaelleFoucher, Fabrice
This work numerically investigated the feasibility of methanol compression ignition combustion for light-duty diesel engine applications by using a glow plug (GP) to promote ignition. A comprehensive parametric study was conducted to assess the combustion characteristics depending on the GP position, the relative angle between the GP and injector, and other initial conditions. Optimal design parameters were identified. It was demonstrated that GP can enable successful ignition and combustion of methanol at the operating conditions under study. Among the many parameters considered, the relative angle between the GP and injector was found to be one of the most critical parameters in controlling the ignition and complete combustion. Increasing intake temperature promoted combustion speed and engine performance, but excessively high intake temperatures led to higher wall heat transfer loss and lower ITE. An appropriate level of the pilot injection mass was found to increase ITE, with the
Liu, XinleiSim, JaeheonRaman, VallinayagamViollet, YoannAlRamadan, Abdullah S.Cenker, EmreIm, Hong G.
The research for sustainable alternative fuels for combustion engines was driven by the urgency to meet future emission regulation norms and mitigate climate change and dependency on fossil fuels. In this context, methanol emerges as a promising candidate due to its potential for greenhouse gas-neutral production methods and its advantageous characteristics for employment in SI engines. Adverse effects, such as elevated emissions due to incomplete combustion along with liner impingement and oil dilution as a consequence of the high injected fuel mass and the large enthalpy of vaporization, can be improved by a dual injection concept. The tests were conducted on a single-cylinder research engine derived from a common passenger vehicle engine. The exhaust gas composition was measured with an FTIR-analyzer employing a methanol-specific evaluation method, standard exhaust gas analyzers, and a solid particle counter system with 10 and 23 μm cut-off sizes. The ratio of DI mass to total mass
Fitz, PatrickFellner, FelixRößlhuemer, RaphaelHärtl, MartinJaensch, Malte
Methanol, as a renewable fuel, is an attractive option for internal combustion engines. The dual direct injection method is one of the most promising strategies for applying methanol fuel in diesel engines as the flexible injection control enables combustion mode switching. In this study, a 1-L single-cylinder common-rail diesel engine with a compression ratio of 17.4 is retrofitted by installing an additional methanol direct injector with 35 MPa injection pressure. The engine is operated at 1400 rpm, intermediate load, and fixed midpoint combustion phasing of 10 °CA aTDC with a fixed total amount of energy while applying an energy substitution principle with up to 70% energy supplied by methanol. From the experiments, three distinct combustion modes were identified. When early methanol injection timings were selected in the range of 180–60 °CA bTDC, the primary combustion mode was premixed burn. Late injection timings of 10 °CA bTDC to TDC led to heat release rate shapes of the
Zhao, YifanLiu, XinyuKook, Sanghoon
EU legislation provides for only local CO2 emission-free vehicles to be allowed in individual passenger transport by 2035. In addition, the directive provides for fuels from renewable sources, i.e. defossilised fuels. This development leads to three possible energy sources or forms of energy for use in individual transport. The first possibility is charging with electricity generated from renewable sources, the second possibility is hydrogen generated from renewable sources or blue production path. The third possibility is the use of renewable fuels, also called e-fuels. These fuels are produced from atmospheric CO2 and renewable hydrogen. Possible processes for this are, for example, methanol or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The production of these fuels is very energy-intensive and large amounts of renewable electricity are needed. Thus, national production of these fuels in the EU is inefficient in terms of cost and carbon footprint due to the low utilisation rate of renewable energy
Stoll, TobiasKulzer, AndreBerner, Hans-Juergen
Most heavy trucks should be fully electric, using a combination of batteries and catenary electrification, but heavy trucks requiring very long unsupported range will need chemical fuels. Hydrogen is the key to storing renewably generated electricity chemically. At the scale of heavy trucks, compressed hydrogen can match the specific energy of diesel, but its energy density is five times lower, limiting the range to around 2,000 km. Scaling green hydrogen production and addressing leakage must be priorities. Hydrogen-derived electrofuels—or “e-fuels”—have the potential to scale, and while the economic comparison currently has unknowns, clean air considerations have gained new importance. The limited supply of bioenergy should be reserved for critical applications, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), aviation, shipping, and road freight in the most remote locations. Additionally, there are some reasons to prefer ethanol or methanol to diesel-type fuels as they are
Muelaner, Jody E.
Methanol emerges as a compelling renewable fuel for decarbonizing engine applications due to a mature industry with high production capacity, existing distribution infrastructure, low carbon intensity and favorable cost. Methanol’s high flame speed and high autoignition resistance render it particularly well-suited for spark-ignition (SI) engines. Previous research showed a distinct phenomenon, known deflagration-based knock in methanol combustion, whereby knocking combustion was observed albeit without end-gas autoignition. This work studies the implications of deflagration-based knock on noise emissions by investigating the knock intensity and combustion noise at knock-limited operation of methanol in a single-cylinder direct-injection SI engine operated at both stoichiometric and lean (λ = 2.0) conditions. Results are compared against observations from a premium-grade gasoline. Experiments show that methanol’s end-gas autoignition occurs at lean conditions, leading to the typical
Singh, EshanStrickland, TylerAbboud, RamiMacDonald, JamesLee, SangukLopez Pintor, Dario
The increasing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift away from fossil fuels has raised an interest for methanol. Methanol can be produced from renewable sources and can drastically lower soot emissions from compression ignition engines (CI). As a result, research and development efforts have intensified focusing on the use of methanol as a replacement for diesel in CI engines. The issue with methanol lies in the fact that methanol is challenging to ignite through compression alone, particularly at low-load and cold starts conditions. This challenge arises from methanol's high octane number, low heating value, and high heat of vaporization, all of which collectively demand a substantial amount of heat for methanol to ignite through compression. One successful project using methanol is the Fastwater project, where a diesel engine was converted to run on methanol, with 3% ignition improver, and installed in the pilot boat Pilot 120SE, that is running in real world conditions
Svensson, MagnusTuner, MartinVerhelst, Sebastian
Engine knock is a major challenge that limits the achievement of higher engine efficiency by increasing the compression ratio of the engine. To address this issue, using a higher octane number fuel can be a potential solution to reduce or eliminate the propensity for knock and so obtain better engine performance. Methanol, a promising alternative fuel, can be produced from conventional and non-conventional energy resources, which can help reduce pollutant emissions. Methanol has a higher octane number than typically gasolines, which makes it a viable option for reducing knock intensity. This study compared the combustion characteristics of gasoline and methanol fuels in an optical spark-ignition engine using multiple spark plugs. The experiment was carried out on a single-cylinder four-stroke optical engine. The researchers used a customized metal liner with four circumferential spark plugs to generate multiple flame kernels inside the combustion chamber. The results indicated that
Uddeen, KalimTang, QinglongShi, HaoAlmatrafi, FahadMagnotti, GaetanoTurner, James
The global transition to alternative power sources, particularly fuel cells, hinges on the cost-effective production and distribution of hydrogen fuel. While green hydrogen produced through water electrolysis using renewable energy sources holds immense promise, it currently falls short of meeting the burgeoning demand for hydrogen. To address this challenge, alternative methods, such as steam reforming and partial oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels with integrated carbon capture, are poised to bridge the gap between supply and demand in the near to midterm. Steam reforming of methane is a well-established technology with a proven track record in the chemical industry, serving as a dependable source of hydrogen feedstock for decades. However, to meet the demand for efficient hydrogen storage, handling, and onboard reforming, researchers are increasingly exploring liquid hydrocarbon fuels at room temperature, such as methanol and ethanol. In this work, we have developed reformer models for
Hariharan, DeivanayagamChhatija, HarishBrown, JonathanGundlapally, Santhosh
The growing demand to lower greenhouse gas emissions and transition from fossil fuels, has put methanol in the spotlight. Methanol can be produced from renewable sources and has the property of burning almost soot-free in compression ignition (CI) engines. Consequently, there has been a notable increase in research and development activities directed towards exploring methanol as a viable substitute for diesel fuel in CI engines. The challenge with methanol lies in the fact that it is difficult to ignite through compression alone, particularly in low-load and cold start conditions. This difficulty arises from methanol's high octane number, relatively low heating value, and high heat of vaporization, collectively demanding a considerable amount of heat for methanol to ignite through compression. Previous studies have addressed the use of a pilot injection in conjunction with a larger main injection to lower the required intake air temperature for methanol to combust at low loads. While
Svensson, MagnusTuner, MartinVerhelst, Sebastian
Methanol is one of the most promising fuels for the decarbonization of the off-road and transportation sectors. Although methanol is typically seen as 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, the potential of using ignition enhancers to enable methanol MCCI combustion was investigated. Methanol was blended with 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN) and experiments were performed in a single-cylinder production-like diesel research engine, which has a displacement volume of 0.83 L and compression ratio of 16:1. The effect of EHN has been evaluated with three different levels (3%vol, 5%vol, and 7%vol) under low- and part-load conditions. The injection timing has been swept to find the stable injection window for each EHN level and load. With the highest EHN level, better combustion
Lee, SangukLopez Pintor, DarioCho, Seokwon
Ammonia and methanol are both future fuels with carbon-neutral potential. Ammonia has a high octane number, a slow flame speed, and a narrow ignition limit, while methanol has a fast flame speed with complementary combustion characteristics but is more likely to lead to pre-ignition and knock. In this paper, the combustion and emission characteristics of ammonia-methanol solution in a high compression ratio spark ignition engine are investigated. The experimental results show that the peak in-cylinder pressure and peak heat release rate of the engine when using ammonia-methanol solution are lower and the combustion phase is retarded compared with using methanol at the same spark timing conditions. Using ammonia-methanol solution in the engine resulted in a more ideal combustion phase than that of gasoline, leading to an increase in indicated thermal efficiency of more than 0.6% and a wider range of efficient operating conditions. The use of ammonia-methanol solution increases unburned
Lin, ZhelongLiu, ShangQi, YunliangChen, QingchuWang, Zhi
Under China’s “3060” target of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, heavy commercial vehicles are a key breakthrough point to promote the automobile industry to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Green methanol, as a clean alternative fuel, are an effective technical route for heavy commercial vehicles to achieve energy conservation and emission reduction. Based on a 13L methanol engine, this study fully considers the methanol combustion characteristics, the ω shape combustion system of the base engine is redesigned as a pent-roof combustion chamber. The intake port is changed from a swirl port to a high-tumble port, and the piston crown is also adjusted adaptively. At the same time, the cam profile, cooling water jacket, intake and exhaust system are redesigned, and the turbocharger is re-matched according to the physical properties of methanol. CAE tools and means are used to optimize and determine the design proposal. Finally, after bench test verification, the
He, JianxiangSong, ZhihuiGe, FengZhang, HuaMa, EnXu, YouLiu, YanShen, Yuan
The influence of engine load and fuel premixing ratio (PMR) on unregulated emission from a methanol-diesel dual-fuel RCCI (MD-RCCI) engine is examined in this study. The study focuses on assessing the adverse effects of unregulated emissions (saturated HC, unsaturated HC, carbonyl compounds, aromatic hydrocarbon, NH3, and SO2) on the health of human beings and the environment. To quantify the effect on the environment, the greenhouse gas potential (GWPs), Eutrophication potential (EP), Acidification potential (AP), and Ozone forming potential (OFP) are calculated and presented. The cancer risk potential (CRP) of the carbonyl compounds (HCHO and CH3CHO) is calculated and presented to see the effect on human health. The results demonstrate that at lower engine load, with an increase in PMR, the OFP and CRP for MD-RCCI operation increase significantly, whereas AP, EP, and GWPs decrease. Additionally, with a rise in the load at a constant PMR, the AP, EP and OFP decrease significantly. The
Yadav, Neeraj KumarSaxena, Mohit RajMaurya, Rakesh Kumar
Methanol fuel has attracted global attention from engine researchers since the crude oil crisis and the rise in crude oil prices in the recent years. As it is one of the possible alcoholic fuels after ethanol in an automotive application that can reduce dependence on crude oil. India has also initiated research studies on methanol since the 1980s. NITI Aayog is encouraging the use of methanol as an automotive fuel for transport sector. This desktop study includes the potentiality of methanol as an automotive fuel and the methanol roadmap for India as a biofuel in the conventional gasoline application. It has been seen that Methanol has the potential to be used as a fuel in automobiles to replace gasoline or crude oil-based fuels in terms of engine performance. According to a study, India’s methanol promotion measures will encourage more enterprises to invest in the research and construction of methanol producing plants and development of methanol-fueled engines. However, in order to
Bandyopadhyay, DebjyotiSutar, Prasanna SSonawane, Shailesh BalkrishnaJamadar, MohammadRairikar, SandeepThipse, Sukrut SSalunkhe, Vikas
Methanol, a fuel obtainable through the capture and conversion of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), has garnered attention as a suitable alternative fuel for gasoline. Methanol-gasoline blends, characterized by their high-octane rating, commendable performance, and reduced carbon emissions, present themselves as promising alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. In the present study, a comprehensive comparative analysis was conducted to assess the performance and emissions characteristics of unmodified vehicles utilizing methanol blends at lower concentrations, ranging up to 30%, in gasoline. The research focused on two distinct classes of vehicles commonly found on the roads of India: those compliant with BS-IV (Euro IV) and BS-VI (Euro VI) emission standards. Experimental evaluations were carried out on a chassis dynamometer, with the vehicles subjected to the Worldwide Harmonized Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC) and Wide open throttle (WOT) driving tests. The emissions from these vehicles
Teja, RaviKhandai, ChinmayanandaMuralidharan, M
Methanol is a suitable alternative fuel to relieve the problem of energy shortage and decrease the emission of greenhouse gases. The effect of direct-injection timing of methanol and diesel on the combustion characteristics of a marine diesel engine with bore of 210 mm was simulated with a 3-dimentional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software AVL-FIRE. The combustion model was set-up and validated by the experimental data from the marine diesel engine. Results show that there are two peaks on the heat release rate (HRR) curves with the normal diesel-methanol combustion process. The first HRR peak is caused by the combustion of diesel. The second HRR peak is resulted from the hybrid combustion process of diesel and methanol. The injection timing of diesel influences the peak pressure rise rate (PPRR) and ignition timing. The indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), the maximum in-cylinder pressure and combustion duration are influenced by the direct-injection timing of methanol
Li, XiaoYan, PingLi, Hong-MeiZheng, LiangShen, GangHu, Yu-ChenHan, Dan
The growing demand for transportation fuels and the global emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have led to increased interest in analyzing transport GHG emissions from the life-cycle perspective. Methanol, a potentially carbon-neutral fuel synthesized from CO2 and H2, has emerged as a promising candidate. This paper conducts a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) of the GHG emissions associated with the methanol production process, utilizing data inventory from China in 2019. To simulate the synthesis and distillation process of methanol, Aspen Plus is employed, using parameters obtained from actual plants. GHG emissions are then calculated using the GREET model, incorporating updated industry statistics and research findings. The CO2 necessary for methanol production is captured from factory flue gas. Two different sources of H2 are considered: one from Coke Oven Gas (COG) and the hydrogen-rich gas byproduct resulting from COG methanation (Case 1), and the other via
Fu, YangWang, BuyuShuai, Shijin
When a biofuel, methanol is an interesting alternative for internal combustion engines (ICE). Despite drawbacks such as misfiring or instabilities at low loads, methanol has several advantages. Today, dual-fuel systems allow the use of methanol in combination with diesel fuel. This paper will present a different approach, the ability to use methanol in a flex-fuel system. The addition of a combustion enhancer containing alkyl nitrate (CEN) allows the use of methanol in a direct-injection compression ignition (DICI) engine without any changing. In this paper, different volume fractions of this additive are tested. The aim is to show the effect of the CEN on the combustion of methanol. The effect of CEN on methanol has been confirmed thanks to previous tests carried out on a Rapid Compression Machine (RCM). Ignition delay times (IDT) and auto-ignition temperature were reduced with small amounts of CEN. The engine is a single-cylinder, with a displacement of 0.499L and a compression ratio
Samson, RichardMorin, Anne-GaëlleFoucher, Fabrice
Limited fossil fuel resources and carbonaceous greenhouse gas emissions are two major problems the world faces today. Alternative fuels can effectively power internal combustion engines to address these issues. Methanol can be an alternative to conventional fuels, particularly to displace gasoline in spark ignition engines. The physicochemical properties of methanol are significantly different than baseline gasoline and fuel mixture-aim lambda; hence methanol-fueled engines require modifications in the fuel injection parameters. This study optimized the fuel injection quantity, spark timing, and air–fuel ratio for M85 (85% v/v methanol + 15% v/v gasoline) fueling of a port fuel-injected single-cylinder 500 cc motorcycle test engine. Comparative engine performance, combustion, and emissions analyses were performed for M85 and baseline gasoline. M85-fueled engine exhibited improved combustion characteristics such as higher peak in-cylinder pressure, heat release rate, and cumulative heat
Agarwal, AvinashYadav, OmkarValera, Hardikk
Methanol is emerging as an alternate internal combustion engine fuel. It is getting attention in countries such as China and India as an emerging transport fuel. Using methanol in spark ignition engines is easier and more economical than in compression ignition engines via the blending approach. M85 (85% v/v methanol and 15% v/v gasoline) is one of the preferred blends with the highest methanol concentration. However, its physicochemical properties significantly differ from gasoline, leading to challenges in operating existing vehicles. This experimental study addresses the challenges such as cold-start operation and poor throttle response of M85-fueled motorcycle using a port fuel injection engine. In this study, M85-fueled motorcycle prototype is developed with superior performance, similar/better drivability, and lower emissions than a gasoline-fueled port-fuel-injected motorcycle. An open electronic control unit was installed using suitable wiring harness/sensors and actuators to
Agarwal, AvinashYadav, OmkarValera, Hardikk
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