Fouling Mitigation for Laser Igniters in Natural Gas Engines

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sreenath Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Optical Element ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Fouling Mitigation ◽  
Power Draw ◽  
Final Approach ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Operational Envelope

Abstract Due to several recent developments in lasers and optics, laser igniters can now be designed to be (i) compact so as to have the same footprint as a standard spark plug, (ii) have low power draw, usually less than 50 Watts, and (iii) have vibration and temperature resistance at levels typical of reciprocating engines. Primary advantages of these laser igniters remain (i) extension of lean or dilution limits for ignition of combustible mixtures, and (ii) improved ignition at higher pressures. Recently, tests performed in a 350 kW 6-cylinder stationary natural gas reciprocating engine retrofitted with these igniters showed an extension of the operational envelope to yield efficiency improvements of the order of 2.6% points while being compliant with the mandated emission regulations. Even though laser igniters offer promise, fouling of the final optical element that introduces the laser into the combustion chamber is of concern. After performing a thorough literature search, a test plan was devised to evaluate various fouling mitigation strategies. The final approach that was used is a combination of three strategies and helped sustain an optical transmissivity exceeding 98% even after 1500 hrs. of continuous engine operation at 2400 rpm. Based on the observed trend in transmissivity, it now appears that laser igniters can last up to 6000 hrs. of continuous engine operation in a stationary engine running at 1800 rpm.

Fouling Mitigation for Laser Igniters in Natural Gas Engines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sreenath B. Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Optical Element ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Fouling Mitigation ◽  
Power Draw ◽  
Final Approach ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Operational Envelope

Abstract Due to several recent developments in lasers and optics, laser igniters can now be designed to be (i) compact so as to have the same footprint as a standard spark plug, (ii) have low power draw, usually less than 50 Watts, and (iii) have vibration and temperature resistance at levels typical of reciprocating engines. Primary advantages of these laser igniters remain (i) extension of lean or dilution limits for ignition of combustible mixtures, and (ii) improved ignition at higher pressures. Recently, tests performed in a 350 kW 6-cylinder stationary natural gas reciprocating engine retrofitted with these igniters showed an extension of the operational envelope to yield efficiency improvements of the order of 2.6% points while being compliant with the mandated emission regulations. Even though laser igniters offer promise, fouling of the final optical element that introduces the laser into the combustion chamber is of concern. After performing a thorough literature search, a test plan was devised to evaluate various fouling mitigation strategies. The final approach that was used is a combination of three strategies and helped sustain an optical transmissivity exceeding 98% even after 1500 hrs. of continuous engine operation at 2400 rpm. Based on the observed trend in transmissivity, it now appears that laser igniters can last up to 6000 hrs. of continuous engine operation in a stationary engine running at 1800 rpm.

Laser Spark Ignition: Laser Development and Engine Testing

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. McMillian ◽  
Steven D. Woodruff ◽  
Steven W. Richardson ◽  
Dustin L. McIntyre
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Laser System ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Spark Ignition Engine ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Laser Spark ◽  
Engine Testing ◽  
Laser Spark Ignition

Evermore demanding market and legislative pressures require stationary lean-burn natural gas engines to operate at higher efficiencies and reduced levels of emissions. Higher in-cylinder pressures and leaner air/fuel ratios are required in order to meet these demands. Contemporary ignition systems, more specifically spark plug performance and durability, suffer as a result of the increase in spark energy required to maintain suitable engine operation under these conditions. This paper presents a discussion of the need for an improved ignition source for advanced stationary natural gas engines and introduces laser spark ignition as a potential solution to that need. Recent laser spark ignition engine testing with natural gas fuel including NOx mapping is discussed. A prototype laser system in constructed and tested and the results are discussed and solutions provided for improving the laser system output pulse energy and pulse characteristics.

scholarly journals Lean-Burn Stationary Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine Operation With a Prototype Miniature Diode Side Pumped Passively Q-Switched Laser Spark Plug

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin L. McIntyre ◽  
Steven D. Woodruff ◽  
Michael H. McMillian ◽  
Steven W. Richardson ◽  
Mridul Gautam
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Laser System ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Spark Plug ◽  
Laser Spark ◽  
Laser Systems ◽  
Laser Design ◽  
Engine Testing

To meet the ignition system needs of large bore lean burn stationary natural gas engines a laser diode side pumped passively Q-switched laser igniter was developed and used to ignite lean mixtures in a single cylinder research engine. The laser design was produced from previous work. The in-cylinder conditions and exhaust emissions produced by the miniaturized laser were compared to that produced by a laboratory scale commercial laser system used in prior engine testing. The miniaturized laser design as well as the combustion and emissions data for both laser systems was compared and discussed. It was determined that the two laser systems produced virtually identical combustion and emissions data.

Analysis of the Rotating Arc Spark Plug in a Natural Gas Engine

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Tassitano ◽  
James E. Parks
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Combustion Stability ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Gas Engine ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Natural Gas Engine ◽  
Spark Plug ◽  
Rotating Arc

Large natural gas engines are durable and cost-effective generators of power for distributed energy applications. Fuel efficiency is an important aspect of distributed generation since operating costs associated with fuel consumption are the major component of energy cost on a life-cycle basis; furthermore, higher fuel efficiency results in lower CO2 emissions. Leaner operation of natural gas engines can result in improved fuel efficiency; however, engine operation becomes challenging at leaner air-to-fuel ratios due to several factors. One factor in combustion control is ignition. At lean air-fuel mixtures, reliable and repeatable ignition is necessary to maintain consistent power production from the engine, and spark plug quality and durability play an important role in reliability of ignition. Here research of a novel spark plug design for lean natural gas engines is presented. The spark plug is an annular gap spark plug with a permanent magnet that produces a magnetic field that forces the spark to rotate during spark discharge. The rotating arc spark plug (RASP) has the potential to improve ignition system reliability and durability. In the study presented here, the RASP plug was operated in a small natural gas engine, and combustion stability (measured by the coefficient of variation of indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP)) was measured as a function of air-to-fuel ratio to characterize the ignition performance at lean mixtures. Comparisons were made to a standard J-plug spark plug.

The Advanced Injection Low Pilot Ignited Natural Gas Engine: A Combustion Analysis

2004 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. K. Srinivasan ◽  
S. R. Krishnan ◽  
S. Singh ◽  
K. C. Midkiff ◽  
S. R. Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Full Load Operation ◽  
Dual Fuel Engines ◽  
Engine Stability ◽  
Hc Emissions ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Conversion Efficiencies

The Advanced (injection) Low Pilot Ignited Natural Gas (ALPING) engine is proposed as an alternative to diesel and conventional dual fuel engines. Experimental results from full load operation at a constant speed of 1700rev∕min are presented in this paper. The potential of the ALPING engine is realized in reduced NOx emissions (to less than 0.2g∕kWh) accompanied by fuel conversion efficiencies comparable to straight diesel operation. Some problems at advanced injection timings are recognized in high unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emissions (25g∕kWh) and poor engine stability reflected by high COVIMEP (about 6%). This paper focuses on the combustion aspects of low pilot ignited natural gas engines with particular emphasis on advanced injection timings (45°–60° BTDC). Ignition phasing at advanced injection timings (∼60° BTDC), and combustion phasing at retarded injection timings (∼15° BTDC) are recognized as important combustion parameters that profoundly impact the combustion process, HC emissions, and the stability of engine operation.

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.

Performance Prediction of Gas Turbine Under Different Strategies Using Low Heating Value Fuel

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edson Batista da Silva ◽  
Marcelo Assato ◽  
Rosiane Cristina de Lima
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Equivalence Ratio ◽  
Safe Operation ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Heating Value ◽  
Gasification Process ◽  
Surge Margin ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Industrial Gas Turbine

Usually, the turbogenerators are designed to fire a specific fuel, depending on the project of these engines may be allowed the operation with other kinds of fuel compositions. However, it is necessary a careful evaluation of the operational behavior and performance of them due to conversion, for example, from natural gas to different low heating value fuels. Thus, this work describes strategies used to simulate the performance of a single shaft industrial gas turbine designed to operate with natural gas when firing low heating value fuel, such as biomass fuel from gasification process or blast furnace gas (BFG). Air bled from the compressor and variable compressor geometry have been used as key strategies by this paper. Off-design performance simulations at a variety of ambient temperature conditions are described. It was observed the necessity for recovering the surge margin; both techniques showed good solutions to achieve the same level of safe operation in relation to the original engine. Finally, a flammability limit analysis in terms of the equivalence ratio was done. This analysis has the objective of verifying if the combustor will operate using the low heating value fuel. For the most engine operation cases investigated, the values were inside from minimum and maximum equivalence ratio range.

Effects of Natural Gas Compositions on Engine In-Cylinder Process

2015 ◽  
Vol 1092-1093 ◽  
pp. 498-503
Author(s):  
La Xiang ◽  
Yu Ding
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Engine Performance ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Maximum Pressure ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Natural Gas Engines ◽  
Lower Maximum

Natural gas (NG) is one of the most promising alternative fuels of diesel and petrol because of its economics and environmental protection. Generally the NG engine share the similar structure profile with diesel or petrol engine but the combustion characteristics of NG is varied from the fuels, so the investigation of NG engine combustion process receive more attentions from the researchers. In this paper, a zero-dimensional model on the basis of Vibe function is built in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The model provides the prediction of combustion process in natural gas engines, which has been verified by the experimental data in the NG test bed. Furthermore, the influence of NG composition on engine performance is investigated, in which the in-cylinder maximum pressure and temperature and mean indicated pressure are compared using different type NG. It is shown in the results that NG with higher composition of methane results in lower maximum temperature and mean indicated pressure as well as higher maximum pressure.

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