Title: Exploring the potential benefits of high-efficiency dual-fuel combustion on a heavy-duty multi-cylinder engine for SuperTruck I

Abstract

In support of the Daimler SuperTruck I team’s 55% brake thermal efficiency (BTE) pathway goal, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory performed an experimental investigation of the potential efficiency and emissions benefits of dual-fuel advanced combustion approaches on a modified heavy-duty 15-L Detroit™ DD15 engine. For this work, a natural gas port fuel injection system with an independent injection control for each cylinder was added to the DD15 engine. For the dual-fuel strategies investigated, 65%–90% of the total fuel energy was supplied through the added port fuel injection natural gas (NG) fueling system. The remaining fuel energy was supplied by one or more direct injections of diesel fuel using the production high pressure diesel fueling system. The production DD15 air handling system and combustion geometry were unmodified for this study. Efficiency and emissions with dual-fuel strategies including both low temperature combustion (LTC) and non-LTC approaches such as dual fuel direct-injection were investigated along with control authority over combustion phasing. Parametric studies of dual-fuel NG/diesel advanced combustion were conducted in order to experimentally investigate the potential of high-efficiency, dual-fuel combustion strategies to improve BTE in a multi-cylinder engine, understand the potential reductions in engine-out emissions, and characterize the range of combustionmore » phasing controllability. Characterization of mode transitions from mixing-controlled diesel pilot ignition to kinetically controlled ignition is presented. Key findings from this study included a reproducible demonstration of BTE approaching 48% at up to a 13-bar brake mean effective pressure with significant reductions in engine-out NOx and soot emissions. Finally, additional results from investigating load transients in dual-fuel mode and initial characterization of particle size distribution during dual-fuel operation are presented.« less

Authors:

Lerin, Chloé  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Lerin, Chloé"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-4070-4796"

Edwards, K. Dean  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Edwards, K. Dean"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-8578-6847"

Curran, Scott J.  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Curran, Scott J."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-4665-0231"

Nafziger, Eric J.  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Nafziger, Eric J."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-9418-524X"

Moses-DeBusk, Melanie ^[1]; Kaul, Brian C.  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Kaul, Brian C."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-8481-3620"

Singh, Sandeep ^[2]; Allain, Marc ^[2]; Girbach, Jeff ^[2]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Energy Science and Technology Directorate – National Transportation Research Center, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
2. Daimler Trucks North America, Detroit Diesel Corporation, Detroit, MI, USA

Publication Date:

Mon Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2021

Research Org.:

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:

1773207

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1777782

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC05-00OR22725; NFE-10-02990

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

International Journal of Engine Research

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: International Journal of Engine Research Journal Volume: 23 Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 1468-0874

Publisher:

SAGE Publications

Country of Publication:

United Kingdom

Language:

English

Subject:

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS; SuperTruck; dual-fuel; natural gas; diesel; heavy-duty; high efficiency