Experimental investigation and modelling of biodiesel combustion in engines with late direct injection strategy

The combination of alternate fuels, such as biodiesel, and low-temperature combustion (LTC) constitutes a promising solution to reduce pollutant emission and to avoid dependence on fossil fuels. However, this concept requires additional research to optimise LTC of biodiesel over wider operating ranges, specifically including the implementation of numerical models to assist in the development of these engines. In this work, an experimental analysis was carried out assessing both thermal performance and emissions derived from the LTC of diesel/biodiesel blends with late direct injection. Furthermore, this analysis allowed implementing a predictive tool to characterise in-cylinder pressure trace under this operation strategy. This model was coupled with an empirical law to simulate heat release during the combustion process. Least squares method was applied to fit this empirical law to experimental data involving different conditions in terms of percentages of rapeseed biodiesel in the fuel blend, rotational speed, fuel/air equivalence ratio and percentages of external exhaust gas recirculation. To build the predictive model, a multiple regression methodology was used to correlate the law parameters with the operating conditions. Finally, a validation process based on the simulation of in-cylinder pressure trace was developed, revealing that the predictions agreed well with the experimental data. This suggests that the proposed model is able to satisfactorily predict the LTC of diesel/biodiesel blends within the test range.Junta de Andalucía - Consejería de Economía AT17-5934-USUniversidad de Cádiz PB2022-04

Prediction of hydrogen-heavy fuel combustion process with water addition in an adapted low speed two stroke diesel engine: Performance improvement

Article number 117250Despite their high thermal efficiency (>50%), large two-stroke (2 T) diesel engines burning very cheap heavy fuel oil (HFO) produce a high level of carbon dioxide (CO2). To achieve the low emission levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) that will be imposed by future legislation, the use of hydrogen (H2) as fuel in 2 T diesel engines is a viable option for reducing or almost eliminate CO2 emissions. In this work, from experimental data and system modelling, an analysis of dual combustion is carried out considering different strategies to supply H2 to the engine and for different H2 fractions in energy basis. Previously, a complete thermodynamic model of a 2 T diesel engine with an innovative scavenging model is developed and validated. The most important drawbacks of this type of engines are controlled in this work using dual combustion and water injection, reducing nitrogen oxides emissions (NOx), self-ignition and combustion knocking. The results show that the developed model matches engine performance data in diesel mode, achieving a higher efficiency and mean effective pressure (MEP) in hydrogen mode of 53% and 14.62 bar respectively.Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad(Junta de Andalucía) AT17_5934_U

Mechanical analysis of Genoa 03 stirling engine

Due to the new technologies development based on renewable sources of energy, in recent years Stirling engines have become very important in the energetic sector. Many of them do not allow the use of fluid lubricants and, thus, the effect of friction losses is important. For this purpose, a mathematical model has been developed based on the force balance in the crankshaft using the pressure distribution in the cylinders. The aim of this work is to characterize the mechanical losses in a Genoa 03 Stirling engine using a numerical model and experimentally via the drag method. The results of this model have been compared with those obtained experimentally on Genoa 03 Stirling engine. In the experimental results, a proportional increase in friction torque due to the average pressure and the speed of the crankshaft is observed. The first of these is caused by an increase of dry friction forces and the second, by the viscous friction between the working fluid and the inner walls of the engine. Also in this paper, irreversible processes in a beta type Stirling engine have been investigated in order to highlight the impact of losses on mechanical power and its performance. This article develops the first study of the mechanical losses of Genoa 03 experimental Stirling engine, which has an output power of 3 kW. Although the model response follows the same trends as the experiments, those simplifications provide errors which become more significant as the engine speed increases.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad ENE2013-43465-

Heat Transfer Limitations in Supercritical Water Gasification

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is a promising technology for the valorization of wet biomass with a high-water content, which has attracted increasing interest. Many experimental studies have been carried out using conventional heating equipment at lab scale, where researchers try to obtain insight into the process. However, heat transfer from the energy source to the fluid stream entering the reactor may be ineffective, so slow heating occurs that produces a series of undesirable reactions, especially char formation and tar formation. This paper reviews the limitations due to different factors affecting heat transfer, such as low Reynolds numbers or laminar flow regimes, unknown real fluid temperature as this is usually measured on the tubing surface, the strong change in physical properties of water from subcritical to supercritical that boosts a deterioration in heat transfer, and the insufficient mixing, among others. In addition, some troubleshooting and new perspectives in the design of efficient and effective devices are described and proposed to enhance heat transfer, which is an essential aspect in the experimental studies of SCWG to move it forward to a larger scale.Consejeria de Economia y Conocimiento (Junta de Andalucia) P18-RT-252

Methodology for the estimation of cylinder inner surface temperature in an air-cooled engine

A methodology for the estimation of the mean temperature of the cylinder inner surface in an air-cooled internal combustion engine is proposed. Knowledge of this temperature is necessary to determine the heat flux from the combustion chamber to the cylinder wall. Along with the heat transfer coefficient this parameter also allows almost 50% of engine heat losses to be determined. The temperature is relatively easy to determine for water-cooled engines but this is not in the case for air-cooled engines. The methodology described here combines numerical and experimental procedures. Simulations were based on FEM models and experiments were based on the use of thermocouples and infrared thermography. The methodology avoids the use of data or correlations developed for other engines, providing more reliable results than extrapolating models from one engine to another. It also prevents from taking measurements from inside the combustion chamber, reducing invasion and experiments complexity. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied to an air-cooled four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine and it allows the cylinder mean inner surface temperature and cylinder-cooling air heat transfer coefficient to be estimated.Ministerio de Eduación y Ciencia CTQ2007-68026-CO2-02/PP

Analysis of a new analytical law of Heat Release Rate (HRR) for Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) combustion mode versus analytical parameters

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines produce very low NO and soot emissions and alsoimprove engine efficiency when compare to conventional spark ignition engines. The combustion process bases on the self-ignition of a homogenous air-fuel mixture without an external ignition source. The gas temperature is very important to initiate the combustion and to promote the appropriate chemical kinetics. As a result, the heat release rate and heat transfer inside the combustion chamber play a significant role in the HCCI combustion mode. The high relevance of gas temperature on this combustion mode means that heat transferis considered through a dedicated heat transfer model. In this system the forced convection from hot gases to the combustion chamber walls is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. This paper focuses on the relationship between HRR in HCCI combustion mode and the four parameters that are required for an analytical function to model this heat release rate. More specifically, the influences of the fuel-air equivalence ratio, engine speed and EGR on the four parameters that control HRR are examined. The analytical HRR law is validated over a wide range of operating conditions in HCCI combustion mode and shows that these four parameters are directly related to any load condition, including engine speed, fuel rate and EGR. These parameters can therefore be used to characterize this combustion mode.Ministerio de Ciencia y Eduación CTQ2007-68026-CO2-02/PP

A new heat release rate (HRR) law for homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion mode

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are drawing attracting attention as the next-generation’s internal combustion engine, mainly because of its very low NOx and soot emissions and also for improvement in engine efficiency. Much research has been carried out in order to go deeper in this combustion process using multizone models or CFD codes. These simulation tools, although they can give a detailed view of the combustion process, are very time consuming and the results depend a lot on the initial conditions. A previous step to be considered in the simulation of the HCCI process is a heat release law evaluated from results of the experiment and a zero-dimensional model. This paper focuses on the development of a new heat release rate (HRR) law that models the HCCI process when the combustion chamber is considered as a homogeneous volume. The parameters of this law have been adjusted through an optimization process that has allowed to fit the combustion chamber pressure. All the engine operative conditions from low to full load have been successfully simulated with this HRR law, with the maximum error in the estimation of combustion chamber pressure less than 2%.Ministerio de Ciencia y Eduación CTQ2007-68,026-CO2-02/PP

Preliminary study on the performance of biomorphic silicon carbide as substrate for diesel particulate filters

This paper presents the results of a preliminary experimental study to assess the performance of biomorphic silicon carbide when used for the abatement of soot particles in the exhaust of Diesel engines. Given its optimal thermal and mechanical properties, silicon carbide is one of the most popular substrates in commercial diesel particulate filters. Biomorphic silicon carbide is known for having, besides, a hierarchical porous microstructure and the possibility of tailoring that microstructure through the selection of a suitable wood precursor. An experimental rig was designed and built to be integrated within an engine test bench that allowed to characterizing small lab-scale biomorphic silicon carbide filter samples. A particle counter was used to measure the particles distribution before and after the samples, while a differential pressure sensor was used to measure their pressure drop during the soot loading process. The experimental campaign yielded promising results: for the flow rate conditions that the measuring devices imposed (1 litre per minute; space velocity = 42,000 L/h), the samples showed initial efficiencies above 80%, pressure drops below 20 mbar, and a low increase in the pressure drop with the soot load which allows to reach almost 100% efficiency with an increase in pressure drop lower than 15%, when the soot load is still less than 0.01 g/L. It shows the potential of this material and the interest for advancing in more complex diesel particle filter designs based on the results of this workMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad (España) MAT2013-41233-R DPI2013-46485-C3-3-RFondos FEDER MAT2013-41233-R DPI2013-46485-C3-3-RUniversidad de Sevilla VI Plan Propio I.3B - C.I. 24/05/2017 MAT2016-76526-

Análisis de la dinámica de un grupo motobomba diesel: Implicaciones en las causas de rotura

En este artículo se analizan las causas de las averías sistemáticas que se producen en un grupo motobomba. Éstas consisten en la rotura de los rotores de la bomba (6 etapas) por la sección de admisión así como del cierre. El análisis se ha desarrollado en tres etapas: a) desarrollo de un modelo dinámico de torsión, b) desarrollo de un modelo dinámico para identificación de velocidades críticas, c) validación experimental y medida de magnitudes instantáneas. El análisis ha permitido identificar de forma inequívoca la operación de la motobomba muy próxima a una resonancia a torsión del sistema, lo que ha provocado un deterioro prematuro del chavetero así como la abrasión de los rotores.In this paper the causes of a pump-engine systematic failure are analyzed. These consist of the breakage of the rotors of the pump (6 stages) by the admission section as well as of the closing. The analysis has been developed in three steps: a) development of a torsion dynamic model b) development of a dynamic model in order to identify the critics speeds, c) experimental validation and measure of instantaneous parameters. The analysis has allowed identifying the operation of the pump-motor system closely to a torsion resonance, which has caused a premature deterioration of the keyway, as well as the abrasion of the rotors

Experimental analysis of the effect of hydrogen as the main fuel on the performance and emissions of a modified compression ignition engine with water injection and compression ratio reduction

This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of compression ratio (CR), start of injection angle (SOI) and water injection (WI) on the performance, including NOx emissions, of a modified turbocharged compression ignition engine using H₂ as the primary fuel and diesel solely as a pilot ignition source. WI and H₂ were both injected into the intake manifold just after the charge heat exchanger. Test conditions varied the engine speed from 1500 rpm to 2750 rpm, covering a wide range of the original engine's operating conditions, water mass flow varied from 0 to 0.795 g/cycle and SOI for pilot ignition was studied in the range 10°, 5°, 0° before top dead center. Subsequently, the study examined the combined effect of reducing the engine's CR from 17.5:1 (base) to 13.5:1, in one-point increments, reducing SOI and water addition to further enhance the hydrogen energy share (HES). HES varied from 0 % to 85 % under different engine conditions, and WI and SOI were employed to prevent knocking and ensure that the maximum combustion pressure did not exceed 160 bar. The test results indicate that NOₓ emissions increase with HES, but reducing the CR results in a reduction in NOₓ emissions of approximately 50 %. Additionally, WI further reduces NOₓ emissions by up to 50 %. The experimental evidence demonstrates that combining WI with CR and SOI reduction can effectively lower NOₓ emissions, achieving an efficiency greater than 35 % and therefore approaching the base diesel mode's efficiency. This also reduces the maximum in-cylinder pressure, allowing for an increase in turbocharger pressure and consequently enhancing the engine's specific power. The maximum engine power achieved was 31.6 kW at 2500 rpm (mean effective pressure of 10.1 bar), with a CR of 15.5, SOI at 10°, 1.5 kg/kWh of water, a HES of 81 %, and a minimum NOₓ level of approximately 480 ppm, with a maximum combustion pressure below 120 bar