Natural Gas for High Load Dual-Fuel Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition in Heavy-Duty Engines

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Ryan Walker ◽  
Martin L. Wissink ◽  
Dan A. DelVescovo ◽  
Rolf D. Reitz
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition ◽  
Market Growth ◽  
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure ◽  
Fuel Blending

Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) has been shown to be capable of providing improved engine efficiencies coupled with the benefit of low emissions via in-cylinder fuel blending. Much of the previous body of work has studied the use of gasoline as the premixed low-reactivity fuel. However, there is interest in exploring the use of alternative fuels in advanced combustion strategies. Due to the strong market growth of natural gas as a fuel in both mobile and stationary applications, a study on the use of methane for RCCI combustion was performed. Single cylinder heavy-duty engine experiments were undertaken to examine the operating range of the RCCI combustion strategy with methane/diesel fueling and were compared against gasoline/diesel RCCI operation. The experimental results show a significant load extension of RCCI engine operation with methane/diesel fueling compared to gasoline/diesel fueling. For gasoline/diesel fueling, a maximum load of 6.9 bar gross indicated mean effective pressure (IMEPg) at CA50 = 0 deg aTDC (after top dead center) and 7.0 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 4 deg aTDC was obtained without use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). For methane/diesel fueling, a maximum load of 15.4 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 0 deg aTDC and 17.3 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 4 deg aTDC was achieved, showing the effectiveness of the use of methane in extending the load limit for RCCI engine operation.

Natural Gas for High Load Dual-Fuel Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) in Heavy-Duty Engines

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Ryan Walker ◽  
Martin L. Wissink ◽  
Dan A. DelVescovo ◽  
Rolf D. Reitz
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition ◽  
Market Growth ◽  
Load Limit ◽  
Fuel Blending

Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) has been shown to be capable of providing improved engine efficiencies coupled with the benefit of low emissions via in-cylinder fuel blending. Much of the previous body of work has studied the use of gasoline as the premixed low-reactivity fuel. However, there is interest in exploring the use of alternative fuels in advanced combustion strategies. Due to the strong market growth of natural gas as a fuel in both mobile and stationary applications, a study on the use of methane for RCCI combustion was performed. Single cylinder heavy-duty engine experiments were undertaken to examine the operating range of the RCCI combustion strategy with methane/diesel fueling, and was compared against gasoline/diesel RCCI operation. The experimental results show a significant load extension of RCCI engine operation with methane/diesel fueling compared to gasoline/diesel fueling. For gasoline/diesel fueling, a maximum load of 6.9 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 0° aTDC and 7.0 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 4° aTDC was obtained without use of EGR. For methane/diesel fueling a maximum load of 15.4 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 0° aTDC and 17.3 bar IMEPg at CA50 = 4° aTDC was achieved, showing the effectiveness of the use of methane in extending the load limit for RCCI engine operation.

A detail simulation of reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion strategy in a heavy-duty diesel engine run on natural gas/diesel fuel

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 774-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Ebrahimi ◽  
Mohammad Najafi ◽  
Seyed Ali Jazayeri ◽  
Ali Reza Mohammadzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Diesel Engine ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Diesel Fuel ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty Diesel Engine ◽  
Heavy Duty Diesel ◽  
Compression Ignition Combustion

The aim of this study is to investigate in details the effects of a number of combustion parameters to optimize the reactivity controlled compression ignition operation running on natural gas and diesel fuel. In the present work, a single-cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine with a specially modified bathtub piston bowl profile for reactivity controlled compression ignition operation is studied and simulated through commercial software. A broad load range from 5.6 to 13.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure at a constant engine speed of 1300 r/min, fixed amount of diesel fuel mass, and with no exhaust gas recirculation is considered. The results from the developed model confirm that the model can accurately simulate the reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion. Also, by focusing on the time of formation of certain important radicals in combustion, the start of combustion and the time of natural gas dissociation are accurately predicted. Furthermore, the influence of some parameters such as different diesel fuel injection strategies, intake temperature, and intake pressure on the reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion is evaluated and the limitation of the engine operation at low temperature combustion is investigated.

Experimental Investigation of a Heavy-Duty Compression-Ignition Engine Retrofitted to Natural Gas Spark-Ignition Operation

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinlong Liu ◽  
Hemanth Kumar Bommisetty ◽  
Cosmin Emil Dumitrescu
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Compression Ignition Engine ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Cycle Variation ◽  
Spark Timing ◽  
Ci Engines

Heavy-duty compression-ignition (CI) engines converted to natural gas (NG) operation can reduce the dependence on petroleum-based fuels and curtail greenhouse gas emissions. Such an engine was converted to premixed NG spark-ignition (SI) operation through the addition of a gas injector in the intake manifold and of a spark plug in place of the diesel injector. Engine performance and combustion characteristics were investigated at several lean-burn operating conditions that changed fuel composition, spark timing, equivalence ratio, and engine speed. While the engine operation was stable, the reentrant bowl-in-piston (a characteristic of a CI engine) influenced the combustion event such as producing a significant late combustion, particularly for advanced spark timing. This was due to an important fraction of the fuel burning late in the squish region, which affected the end of combustion, the combustion duration, and the cycle-to-cycle variation. However, the lower cycle-to-cycle variation, stable combustion event, and the lack of knocking suggest a successful conversion of conventional diesel engines to NG SI operation using the approach described here.

Multi-input–multi-output optimization of reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion in a heavy-duty diesel engine running on natural gas/diesel fuel

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 470-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Ebrahimi ◽  
Mohammad Najafi ◽  
Seyed Ali Jazayeri
Keyword(s):  
Diesel Engine ◽  
Diesel Fuel ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition ◽  
Control Factors ◽  
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure ◽  
Heavy Duty Diesel Engine ◽  
Heavy Duty Diesel ◽  
Compression Ignition Combustion

The aim of this study is to implement the multi-input–multi-output optimization of reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion in a heavy-duty diesel engine running on natural gas and diesel fuel. A single-cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine with a modified bathtub piston bowl profile is set on operation at 9.4 bar indicated mean effective pressure and running at a fixed engine speed of 1300 r/min. A certain amount of diesel fuel mass per cycle is fed into the engine at a fixed equivalence ratio without any exhaust gas recirculation. The optimization targets include reduction in engine emissions as much as possible, avoiding diesel knock occurrence, and achieving low temperature combustion concept with the least or no engine power losses. To implement the optimization, the effects of three control factors on the engine performance are assessed by the design of experiment concept—fractional factorial method. These selected control factors are intake temperature and intake pressure (both at intake valve closing) and the diesel fuel start of injection timing. Some randomized treatment combinations of chosen levels from the three selected control factors are employed to simulate reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion. Based on the engine’s responses derived from the simulation, reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion’s mathematical model is identified directly using an artificial neural network. Next, an optimization process is conducted using two different optimization algorithms, namely, genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm. For assessing and validating the obtained optimal results, the obtained data are used to simulate reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion as the engine input factors. The results show that the proposed artificial neural network design is effectively capable of identifying reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion’s mathematical model. Also, by optimizing reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion through different optimization algorithms, the optimal range of the engine operation at 9.4 bar indicated mean effective pressure is well estimated and extended.

scholarly journals The effects of natural gas composition on conventional dual-fuel and reactivity-controlled compression ignition combustion in a heavy-duty diesel engine

2021 ◽  
pp. 146808742098404
Author(s):  
Vinícius B Pedrozo ◽  
Xinyan Wang ◽  
Wei Guan ◽  
Hua Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Dual Fuel ◽  
Nox Emissions ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition ◽  
Actuation System ◽  
Methane Slip

The use of natural gas (NG) in dual-fuel heavy-duty engines has the potential to reduce pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector when compared to the conventional diesel engines. However, NG composition and methane slip are of interest because both can adversely affect the benefits of NG as an alternative fuel, especially when considering GHG emissions. Therefore, this study experimentally investigated the effects of NG fuel properties on the performance and emissions of both conventional dual-fuel and reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine operations. Three different gas mixtures were selected to simulate typical NG compositions available in the world market, with methane numbers (MN) of 80.9, 87.6 and 94.1. These fuels were tested in a single-cylinder compression ignition engine operating at 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 MPa net indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP). A high-pressure common rail system allowed for the use of various diesel injection strategies while a variable valve actuation system enabled the effective compression ratio to be adjusted via late intake valve closing (LIVC). The RCCI combustion was found to be more sensitive to changes in MN than the conventional NG-diesel dual-fuel operation. The gas mixture with the lowest MN reduced both total unburned hydrocarbons emissions and methane slip at the expense of higher nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The effects of MN on the net indicated efficiency were more significant at 0.6 MPa IMEP, yielding differences of up to 4.9% between the RCCI operations with the lowest and highest MN fuels. Overall, this work revealed that the combination of the RCCI combustion and LIVC can achieve up to 80% lower methane slip and NOx emissions and relatively higher net indicated efficiency than the conventional dual-fuel regime, independent of the NG composition.

Comparison of Diesel Pilot Ignition (DPI) and Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) in a Heavy-Duty Engine

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Ryan Walker ◽  
Flavio D. F. Chuahy ◽  
Rolf D. Reitz
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Equivalence Ratio ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Combustion Regime ◽  
Compression Ignition ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition ◽  
Combustion Performance ◽  
Rich Condition ◽  
Combustion Regimes

Due to growing interest in utilizing natural gas as an alternative fuel in internal combustion engines, a study on the use of natural gas for dual-fuel combustion strategies in a heavy-duty engine was performed to examine the diesel pilot ignition (DPI) and reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion strategies. In Part 1 of this work, the transition between the DPI and RCCI combustion regimes was studied via the direct control of the SOI timing. At the relatively rich condition of ϕ = 0.72, the performance of both combustion strategies was comparable. In Part 2 of this work, the effect of the equivalence ratio on each combustion regime was examined. It was observed that at richer conditions the performance of each combustion regime was similar. However as the conditions became leaner, the performance improved for RCCI combustion and was degraded for DPI combustion. In Part 3 of this work, the effect of fueling rate was explored at a relatively lean operating condition (ϕ = 0.52). It was seen that the fueling rate has little effect on the combustion performance as the engine load was increased. The strong influence of the equivalence ratio on the combustion performance of the RCCI and DPI combustion strategies indicates the both combustion regimes are recommended to engine applications with air handling systems which generate relatively rich in-cylinder conditions; for engine applications with air handling systems which allow for relatively lean in-cylinder conditions, the RCCI combustion regime is recommended.

scholarly journals Improving Efficiency, Extending the Maximum Load Limit and Characterizing the Control-Related Problems Associated With Higher Loads in a 6-Cylinder Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Engine

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrzad Kaiadi ◽  
Per Tunestal ◽  
Bengt Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Compression Ratio ◽  
Diesel Engines ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Exhaust Gas ◽  
Gas Temperature ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Load Limit ◽  
Overall Efficiency ◽  
Exhaust Gas Temperature

High EGR rates combined with turbocharging has been identified as a promising way to increase the maximum load and efficiency of heavy duty spark ignition Natural Gas engines. With stoichiometric conditions a three way catalyst can be used which means that regulated emissions can be kept at very low levels. Most of the heavy duty NG engines are diesel engines which are converted for SI operation. These engine’s components are in common with the diesel-engine which put limits on higher exhaust gas temperature. The engines have lower maximum load level than the corresponding diesel engines. This is mainly due to the lower density of NG, lower compression ratio and limits on knocking and also high exhaust gas temperature. They also have lower efficiency due to mainly the lower compression ratio and the throttling losses. However performing some modifications on the engines such as redesigning the engine’s piston in a way to achieve higher compression ratio and more turbulence, modifying EGR system and optimizing the turbocharging system will result in improving the overall efficiency and the maximum load limit of the engine. This paper presents the detailed information about the engine modifications which result in improving the overall efficiency and extending the maximum load of the engine. Control-related problems associated with the higher loads are also identified and appropriate solutions are suggested.

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