Engine Analysis of Single Cylinder DI Diesel Engine Fuelled With Sunflower Oil, Sunflower Oil Methyl Ester and Its Blends

In the present work, the combustion, performance and emission characteristics of sunflower oil, sunflower methyl ester and its blends were studied and compared with diesel by employing them as fuel in a single cylinder, direct injection, 4.4 KW, air cooled diesel engine. Emission measurements were carried out using five-gas exhaust gas analyzer and smoke meter. The performance characteristics of Sunflower oil, Sunflower methyl ester and its blends were comparable with those of diesel. The components of exhaust such as HC, CO, NOx and soot concentration of the fuels were measured and presented as a function of load and it was observed that the blends had similar performance and emission characteristics as those of diesel. NOx emissions of sunflower oil methyl ester were slightly higher than that of diesel but that of sunflower oil was slightly lower than that of diesel. With respect to the combustion characteristics it was found that the biofuels have lower ignition delay than diesel. The heat release rate was very high for diesel than for the biofuel.

Post Fuel Injection Fuel Vaporization Characteristics in the Intake Port of a Port-Fuel-Injected Gasoline CFR Engine

A Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) gasoline engine has been modified to run on computer controlled Port Fuel Injection (PFI) and electronic ignition. Additionally a fast acting sampling valve (controlled by the engine control computer) has been placed in the engine’s intake system between the fuel injector and cylinder head in order to measure the fuel components that are vaporizing in the intake port immediately after the fuel injection event, and separately during the intake valve open period. This is accomplished by fast sampling a small portion of the intake port gases during a specified portion of the engine cycle which are then analyzed with a gas chromatograph. Experimental mixture preparation results as a function of inlet port temperature and pressure are presented. As the inlet port operates at higher temperatures and lower manifold pressures more of the injected fuels’ heavier components evolve into the vapor form immediately after fuel injection. The post-fuel injection fuel-air equivalence ratio in the intake port is characterized. The role of the fuel injection event is to produce from 1/4 to slightly over 1/2 of the combustible fuel-air mixture needed by the engine, as a function of port temperature. Fuel vapor sampling during the intake valve open period suggests that very little fuel is vaporizing from the intake port puddle below the fuel injector. In-cylinder fuel vapor sampling shows that significant fuel vapor generation must occur in the lower intake port and intake valve region.

Design and Performance of a Controlled Turbocharging System on Marine Diesel Engines

The paper describes the design process for a controlled pulse turbocharging system (CPT) on a 5 cylinder 4-stroke marine engine and highlights the potential for improved engine performance as well as reduced smoke emissions under steady state and transient operating conditions, as offered by the following technologies: • controlled pulse turbocharging, • high pressure air injection onto the compressor impeller as well as into the air receiver, and • an electronic engine control system, including a hydraulic powered electric actuator. Calibrated engine simulation computer models based on the results of tests performed on the engine in its baseline configuration were used to design the CPT components. Various engine tests with CPT under steady state and transient operating conditions show the engine optimization process and how the above-mentioned technologies benefit engine behavior in both generator and propeller law operation.

Effects of Different Biodiesel Blends on Heat Release and Its Related Parameters

This paper emphasizes on the effects of different biodiesels and diesel on; heat release, ignition delay, endothermic and exothermic reactions, NOx, fuel injection pressure due to the fuel’s modulus of elasticity and cylinder pressure. Two 100% biodiesel and its blends of 20% with of low sulfur #2 diesel, and #2 diesel are tested on a single cylinder diesel engine under full load condition. Engine performance and emissions data is obtained for 100% and 20% biodiesels blends and #2 diesel. Testes were conducted at Engine Systems Development Centre, Inc. (ESDC) to evaluate the effects of biodiesel and its blends on the performance and emissions of a single-cylinder medium-speed diesel engine. The main objective of this work was to gain initial information and experience about biodiesel for railway application based on which biodiesel and its blends could be recommended for further investigation on actual locomotives.

Characterization of Particle Size, Number, and Mass Emissions From a Diesel Powered Generator

Total (volatile plus solid) and solid particle size, number, and mass emitted from a 3.8 kW diesel powered generator were characterized using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) that measures the size distribution of particles, and a catalytic stripper that facilitates the measurement of solid particles. The engine was operated at a constant speed for six steady-state engine operations ranging from idle to rated power. The solid particle size distributions were mainly monomodal lognormal distributions in nature reflecting a typical soot agglomerate size distribution with a number mean diameter in the size range from 98 nm to 37 nm as the load decreases from high to low. At idle, M6, however, the solid particle distribution was bimodal in nature with a high number of solid nanoparticles in the sub-20 nm size range. It is likely that these solid particles nucleated later in the combustion process from metallic ash typically present in the lube oil. The total particle size distributions exhibited a bimodal structure only at light load, M5, engine operation, where a high number of volatile nanoparticles were observed. The rest of the operating conditions exhibited monomodal distributions although the nature of the particles was vastly different. For the medium load modes, M2, M3, and M4, the particles were mainly solid particles. For the rated power, M1, and idle, M6, modes of engine operation, significant number of volatile particles grew to a size nearing that of soot particles making the distribution monomodal, similar to that of a solid particle distribution. This shows that monomodal distributions are not necessarily solid particle but they can be strongly dominated with volatile particles if significant particle growth takes place like the case at M1, and M6. The total number and mass concentration were extremely high at engine rated power. The number concentration exceeded 1.2 billion particles per cubic centimeter and the mass exceeded 750 milligrams per cubic meter. The number concentration is more than five orders of magnitude higher than a typical ambient level concentration, and the mass concentration is more than four orders of magnitude higher. It is important to indicate, however, that if the engine power rating is lowered by 35 percent from its designated level, both particle mass and number emissions will be reduced by two orders of magnitude. By measuring total and solid particle size and number concentration of particles, one can calculate other metrics such as surface area and mass to provide detail information about particle emissions. Such information can serve as an important database where all metrics of particle emissions are captured.

On-Site Emissions and Fuel Consumption Measurement to Compare Locomotive Fuel Injector Performance

As part of the Norfolk-Southern Railroad’s on-going investigation into fuel consumption reductions for their fleet of 3000 locomotives, the Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions at West Virginia University conducted on-site locomotive engine performance and emissions measurements to characterize the performance, fuel consumption and emissions associated with fuel injectors from two injector suppliers. Emissions and fuel consumption were measured using the West Virginia University Transportable Locomotive Emissions Testing Laboratory, which was set up at the Norfolk-Southern Heavy Repair Facility in Roanoke, Virginia. The tests were conducted to evaluate potential emissions and fuel consumption differences between two fuel injector suppliers using an EMD GP38-2 locomotive equipped with a 2100 hp (1566 kW), 16-cylinder, EMD 16-645E engine. The test locomotive engine was freshly overhauled and certified to the EPA locomotive Tier 0 emissions standards. Emissions and fuel consumption measurements were conducted according to the Federal Test Procedures defined in the Code of Federal Regulations 40CFR Part 92 Subpart B [1]. The engine was first tested in the “as overhauled” configuration with the OEM fuel injectors to establish the baseline emissions and fuel consumption. The baseline FTP results confirmed that this locomotive was in compliance with the Federal Tier 0 emissions standards. The OEM specification fuel injectors were replaced with “Fuel Saver” injectors designed and manufactured by an aftermarket injector supplier referred to in this paper as Supplier B. The Supplier B injectors reduced fuel consumption on the average of 2–4% for each notch, except for Notch 4 and Low Idle. However, the Supplier B injectors increased the NOx levels by 20–30% for almost every notch, which is an expected result due to the improved combustion efficiency.

Effect of Injection Parameters on the Spray Characteristics of DME Fuel

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of injection parameters on the injection and spray characteristics of dimethyl ether and diesel fuel. In order to analyze the injection and spray characteristics of dimethyl ether and diesel fuel with employing high-pressure common-rail injection system, the injection characteristics such as injection delay, injection duration, and injection rate, spray cone angle and spray tip penetration was investigated by using the injection rate measuring system and the spray visualization system. In this work, the experiments of injection rate and spray visualization are performed at various injection parameters. It was found that injection quantity was decreased with the increase of injection pressure at the same energizing duration and injection pressure In the case of injection characteristics, dimethyl ether showed shorter of injection delay, longer injection duration and lower injected mass flow rate than diesel fuel in accordance with various energizing durations and injection pressures. Also, spray development of dimethyl ether had larger spray cone angle than that of diesel fuel at various injection pressures. Spray tip penetration was almost same development and tendency regardless of injection angles.

Landfill Gas Fueled HCCI Demonstration System

A demonstration system has been developed intending to meet the California Energy Commission’s primary goal of improving California’s electric energy cost/value by providing a low-cost, high-efficiency distributed power generation system that operates on landfill gas as fuel. The project team led by Makel Engineering, Inc. includes UC Berkeley, CSU Chico and the Butte County Public Works Department. The team has developed a reliable, multi-cylinder Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine by converting a Caterpillar 3116, 6.6 liter diesel engine to operate in HCCI mode. This engine utilizes a simple and robust thermal control system. Typically, HCCI engines are based on standard diesel engine designs with reduced complexity and cost based on the well known principles of engine dynamics. Coupled to an induction generator, this HCCI genset allows for simplified power grid connection. Testing with this HCCI genset allowed for the development of a control system to maintain optimal the inlet temperature and equivalence ratio. A brake thermal efficiency of 35.0% was achieved while producing less than 10.0 ppm of NOx and 30 kW of electrical power. Less than 5.0 ppm of NOx was recorded with a slightly lower brake thermal efficiency. Tests were conducted with both natural gas and simulated landfill gas as a fuel source. This demonstration system has shown that landfill gas fueled Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition engine technology is a viable technology for distributed power generation.

Testing of Syntroleum Synthetic Diesels in Diesel Generators Suitable for Alaska

Sulfur free synthetic diesel fuels can be produced using gas to liquids (GTL) technology, and may prove useful as a substitute for conventional diesel fuels when oil reserves are depleted. With non-detectable amounts of sulfur and aromatics, these fuels should generate lower emissions and enable catalytic clean up. This paper presents the results of a durability test conducted on a Detroit Diesel Series 50 diesel engine-generator operating on two synthetic GTL diesel fuels. Besides providing a comparison of diesel emissions, the paper also provides a comparison of generator fuel efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption between the synthetic fuels and conventional diesel. Documented emissions include total hydrocarbons (THC), carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). All tests on the diesel engine reported were conducted at the factory set injection timing. As the best performance of an engine on a particular fuel may be affected by injection timing, further tests of the synthetic fuels at different injection timings are needed and will be discussed in future work.

Comparison of Three Types of Common Rail Systems Suited for Diesel Engines From 1 to 5 Megawatt

The basic physical law governing the injection in Common Rail Systems is the compressibility of the fuel. The effects of pressure wave dynamics, the layout of the system volume and its geometrical distribution strongly affect the injection events at every injector. In this Paper, three different arrangements of system volumes and their effect upon the performance of the individual injectors are compared using the hydraulics simulation tool AMESim. Two systems are known in the passenger car and the heavy duty diesel engine domains. The third system is new and takes advantage of pressure wave dynamics to tailor the injection event. This system is best suited for Diesel Engines with a power from 1 to 5 MW, as used in locomotives, ships, power generation and heavy earthmoving machinery. It produces a more favorable pattern of the injection pressure and injection rate shape during any injection event by hydraulically interconnecting the individual injector’s accumulators during the injection and taking advantage of pressure wave dynamics. Right after the end of each injection, dynamic pressure pulsations are evened out with a dampening device. A multi-cylinder system provides equal conditions for all injections. Its very simple design and increased performance makes the novel system of very attractive use in the above mentioned fields.