Experimental Evaluation of a Prototype Free Piston Engine - Linear Alternator (FPLA) System

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry A. Johnson ◽  
Michael T. Leick ◽  
Ronald W. Moses
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evaluation ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Free Piston Engine ◽  
Linear Alternator

scholarly journals Advanced combustion free-piston engines: A comprehensive review

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1205-1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingcong Zhou ◽  
Aimilios Sofianopoulos ◽  
Benjamin Lawler ◽  
Sotirios Mamalis
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Low Temperature Combustion ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Advanced Combustion ◽  
Free Piston Engine ◽  
Linear Alternator ◽  
Temperature Combustion

A reciprocating engine without a crank-slider mechanism is called a free-piston engine. If the piston is directly connected to a linear alternator, it is called a free-piston linear alternator. Free-piston engines and free-piston linear alternators have the potential to offer solutions for future hybrid electric vehicles and stationary power generation, by enabling direct conversion of mechanical energy to electricity. They benefit from reduced friction losses compared to conventional engines and can have variable compression ratio, which enables combustion control and optimization. Their widespread application has been limited by the necessity for high-speed control strategies. However, their operating characteristics can provide high efficiency, especially when used with low temperature combustion strategies. Low temperature combustion combines the high thermal efficiency of diesel engines, with the low soot emissions of spark-ignition engines, and low NO x emissions because of low burned gas temperatures. This article provides a comprehensive review of free-piston engine technology, with a focus on advanced combustion processes and their potential for use in future powertrain systems.

Modeling and Experimental Characterization of a Permanent Magnet Linear Alternator for Free-Piston Engine Applications

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans T. Aichlmayr ◽  
Peter Van Blarigan
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Permanent Magnet ◽  
Experimental Validation ◽  
Experimental Characterization ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Free Piston Engine ◽  
Linear Alternator ◽  
The Mathematical Model

Sandia National Laboratories is developing a prototype 30kW free-piston internal-combustion-based linear generator for vehicular applications. This paper describes the development and experimental validation of a mathematical model for the permanent magnet linear alternator that will be used by the prototype. A magnetic-flux versus mover-position function is used to correlate individual coil fluxes to the motion of the mover. This function is derived from a finite element electromagnetic simulation of the linear alternator. The mathematical model of the alternator is compared to experiments with prototype hardware driving 0.5–2kW loads; excellent correspondence to measured voltage and current waveforms is found.

Operation of a turbine-compound free-piston linear alternator

2021 ◽  
pp. 146808742110159
Author(s):  
Chang-Ping Lee ◽  
Claus Borgnakke ◽  
Russell Durrett
Keyword(s):  
Injection Timing ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Combustion Chambers ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Free Piston Engine ◽  
Linear Alternator ◽  
Mechanical Models ◽  
Control Volumes ◽  
Engine Map

A free-piston linear-alternator combined with combustion chambers has been examined in many studies. However, only simplified thermodynamic and mechanical models were developed to mimic the actual behavior of the free-piston engine. The purpose of this study is to establish a fully dynamic model that can calculate the energy transformation under the operation of the free-piston engine. The Matlab/Simulink® model uses non-constant-volume combustion event, the piston transient dynamics, flow, heat losses, and thermodynamics as bridges to connect control volumes. The model successfully captured the behavior and measurements of a GS-34 free-piston engine, based on a thermodynamic calculation calibrated with experimental data. The resulting model is used for a series of parametric studies to understand the very complex system behavior, including low load operation. Operation parameters (injection timing and bounce chamber mass) are optimized to generate the engine map for different alternator sizes. At the end, the advantages of the opposed free-piston engine with a linear alternator are presented through the energy analysis.

Modeling of a Two-Stroke Free-Piston Engine With HCCI Combustion

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Li ◽  
Wilson Santiago ◽  
Zongxuan Sun
Keyword(s):  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Hydraulic Pump ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Engine Operation ◽  
Hcci Combustion ◽  
Free Piston Engine ◽  
Linear Alternator

This paper describes the modeling of a two-stroke dual chamber free piston engine (FPE) running homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion with an embedded linear alternator and a hydraulic pump. Variable compression ratio of FPE enables multi-fuel operation. Furthermore, the addition of an electric generator and hydraulic pump ensure the engine to have both high energy density and power density. These three concepts combined, will make for a highly efficient and flexible approach for engine operation. However, the characteristic of FPE also brings challenges in engine control. We propose a control oriented model that provides detailed gas exchange processes between intake/exhaust and cylinder volume, and the dynamic interactions between combustion, the linear alternator and the hydraulic pump. Influences of fuel and valve timing on engine performance are studied. Simulated engine dynamics are observed to have significant differences from conventional internal combustion engines.

scholarly journals Research on the Operating Characteristics of Hydraulic Free-Piston Engines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3530
Author(s):  
Fukang Ma ◽  
Shuanlu Zhang ◽  
Zhenfeng Zhao ◽  
Yifang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Operating Characteristics ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Free Piston Engine

The hydraulic free-piston engine (HFPE) is a kind of hybrid-powered machine which combines the reciprocating piston-type internal combustion engine and the plunger pump as a whole. In recent years, the HFPE has been investigated by a number of research groups worldwide due to its potential advantages of high efficiency, energy savings, reduced emissions and multi-fuel operation. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the operating characteristics, core questions and research progress of HFPEs via a systematic review and meta-analysis. We included operational control, starting characteristics, misfire characteristics, in-cylinder working processes and operating stability. We conducted the literature search using electronic databases. The research on HFPEs has mainly concentrated on four kinds of free-piston engine, according to piston arrangement form: single piston, dual pistons, opposed pistons and four-cylinder complex configuration. HFPE research in China is mainly conducted in Zhejiang University, Tianjin University, Jilin University and the Beijing Institute of Technology. In addition, in China, research has mainly focused on the in-cylinder combustion process while a piston is free by considering in-cylinder combustion machinery and piston dynamics. Regarding future research, it is very important that we solve the instabilities brought about by chance fluctuations in the combustion process, which will involve the hydraulic system’s efficiency, the cyclical variation, the method of predicting instability and the recovery after instability.

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