24 Search Results

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) has been shown to enable efficiency improvements in SI engines through multiple different mechanisms, including decreasing the knock propensity at high load, which allows higher compression ratio. While many of the benefits of EGR are applicable to both low and high power density engines, including reductions in pumping work and improved specific heat ratio, the knock benefits and corresponding compression ratio increases have been limited to low power density naturally aspirated engines primarily intended for hybrid vehicle architectures. An earlier study [1] indicated that there may be a kinetic limitation for the ability of EGR tomore » mitigate knock under these conditions, but that study only considered a small number of conditions. In this investigation, we expand on that study while also providing data for model validation for the new light-duty combustion consortium from the U.S. Department of Energy: Partnership for Advancing Combustion Engines (PACE). In this investigation, the effectiveness of EGR to mitigate knock is studied with regards to the effect of engine speed (1,500 and 3,000 rpm), changing trajectory in the pressure-temperature domain by varying the intake manifold temperature (35, 60, and 90 deg C), and by considering the effect of minor species by studying the effect of untreated EGR vs. EGR that has been treated by an automotive three-way catalyst. Additionally, to increase the relevance of these data for future modeling studies, the performance of the full boiling range gasoline was compared relative to a surrogate formulation. The study found that the fuel surrogate performs well, confirmed the kinetic limitations of EGR to mitigate knock under boost, and showed improvements in EGR performance with catalyzed EGR.« less

Fuel properties have a strong impact on the efficiency of internal combustion engines. Contrary to other physical and thermochemical fuel properties, the molar expansion ratio is normally ignored. Molar expansion ratio is the ratio of number of moles of the products to the reactants. In this work, the impact of the fuel’s molar expansion ratio on engine efficiency is investigated. Findings are based on simulations of a spark ignition engine using different fuels (standard fuels and user-defined fuels) and different dilution ratios. Simulations without heat transfer and friction were performed first. The combustion then takes place at top dead centermore » with a very short combustion duration to approach the ideal Otto cycle. The heat transfer and friction were then added step by step. From this analysis, it could be concluded that the heat loss and friction work decrease as molar expansion ratio increases. The gross indicated and brake thermal efficiencies thus increase. User-defined fuels with different molar expansion ratio, but the same physical and thermochemical properties were then employed. The simulated results showed that the brake thermal efficiency increases by around 1.15% with an increase in molar expansion ratio of 0.02 compared to a fuel with a molar expansion ratio of unity. Lastly, the simulation was also done with air and exhaust gas recirculation dilution.« less

We investigate the impact of the interaction of lubricant and fuel properties on the propensity for stochastic pre-ignition (SPI). Findings are based on statistically significant changes in SPI tendency and magnitude, as determined by measurements of cylinder pressure. Specifically, lubricant detergents, lubricant volatility, fuel volatility, fuel chemical composition, fuel-wall impingement, and engine load were varied to study the physical and chemical effects of fuel-lubricant interactions on SPI tendency. The work illustrates that at low loads, with fuels susceptible to SPI events, lubricant detergent package effects on SPI were non-significant. However, with changes to fuel distillation, fuel-wall impingement, and most importantlymore » engine load, lubricant detergent effects could be observed even at reduced loads This suggests that there is a thermal effect associated with the higher load operation. It was hypothesized that the thermal effect was associated with lube oil nitrogenation. To test this theory, nitromethane (CH₃NO₂) was blended at 6.5% by volume CH₃NO₂ resulted in significant sensitivity to lubricant additive package effect on SPI, even at reduced loads where no lubricant sensitivity was observed without the addition of CH₃NO₂. The combined results highlight the interplay of fuel-lubricant interaction on SPI events, but more importantly suggest that there is the potential of a chemical interaction unique to high-load engine operation that results in reactive chemical processes, such as nitration, where lubricant chemistry becomes an active pathway for SPI activity.« less

The use of fuel reformate from catalytic processes is known to have beneficial effects on the spark-ignited (SI) combustion process through enhanced dilution tolerance and decreased combustion duration, but in many cases reformate generation can incur a significant fuel penalty. In a previous investigation, the researchers showed that, by controlling the boundary conditions of the reforming catalyst, it was possible to minimize the thermodynamic expense of the reforming process, and in some cases, realize thermochemical recuperation (TCR), a form of waste heat recovery where exhaust heat is converted to usable chemical energy. The previous work, however, focused on a relativelymore » light-load engine operating condition of 2000 rpm, 4 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP). The present investigation demonstrates that this operating strategy is applicable to higher engine loads, including boosted operation up to 10 bar BMEP. By controlling the reforming catalyst boundary conditions, it is possible to achieve fuel reforming without experiencing high temperature exotherms that could be damaging to the catalyst. Additionally, the thermodynamic air handling consequences of operating a highly dilute strategy at high loads is quantified. Furthermore the results confirm that this operating strategy provides an efficiency benefit at all conditions investigated, with relative efficiency increases of 3-6%, and is therefore applicable over wider regions of the engine operating map.« less

Here, the compatibility of biodiesel blends with five common elastomers (acrylonitrile rubber or NBR, fluorocarbon, neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer or EPDM, and silicone) was assessed using Hansen solubility parameters. A solubility analysis was performed over the full diesel blend range and the model used methyl hydroperoxide, acetaldehyde, and formic acid to represent the decomposition products of biodiesel. An empirical study was also conducted to determine the efficacy of the approach to predict the volume swell of elastomers. This study included the influence of biodiesel with acetaldehyde and formic acid. The solubility model showed good agreement with measured volumes formore » fluorocarbon, neoprene, EPDM, and silicone. However, solubility curves for NBR did not reflect the measured volume changes, and therefore the solubility parameters used for NBR in this study are not considered reliable. The results showed that formic acid caused higher swelling in NBR, fluorocarbon, neoprene, and silicone than did acetaldehyde. For EPDM, the measured volume decreased with both biodiesel concentration and the addition of formic acid.« less

Here, the purpose of this work is to record the baseline performance of a state-of-the-art micro-combined heat and power (mCHP) system. A second goal of this work is to provide detailed thermodynamic first and second law performance measurements of the internal combustion engine and generator subsystems. A global technology survey was conducted to identify the leading mCHP systems in the 1 kW electric range. The Honda ECOWILL was identified as the state-of-the-art system in the United States, and an unused unit was procured. The ECOWILL underwent round-robin performance testing at three independent laboratories. First law (energy) and second law (exergy)more » analyses were conducted on the steady state data. Analysis revealed the ECOWILL operated at a first law electrical efficiency of 23.5 ± 0.4% and a utilization factor of 74.5 ± 3.2%. The primary energy loss was heat transfer from the device, followed by chemical and thermal energy in the exhaust stack. The second law analysis showed the ECOWILL operated at a second law electrical efficiency of 23.1 ± 0.4% and total (including exergy in both the electrical and recovered waste heat streams) second law efficiency of 30.2 ± 2.3%. Key areas of exergy destruction were, in decreasing magnitude, heat transfer, combustion irreversibility, and generator and friction losses.« less

An experimental study was conducted in a direct-injection (DI) spark-ignited engine to determine the extent to which oil reactivity impacts combustion phasing and knock propensity. Three engine oils were examined: a baseline 20W30 oil from conventional base stock, a 5W30 oil from a synthetic base stock, and a jet oil from a hindered ester base stock. The engine was operated at a constant fueling rate of 24.7 mg/injection for two engine speed conditions (1500 and 2000 rpm) using two cam profile conditions (high and low lift), for a total of four operating conditions. Spark timing sweeps were conducted at eachmore » of the four operating conditions. Results were analyzed for an engine oil impact on combustion phasing, cycle-to-cycle variability, combustion duration, knock propensity, and knock intensity. No correlation between engine oil type and any of these performance metrics could be identified. Measurements showed that the oil consumption rate for this engine is low and comparable to engines compliant with U.S. Tier 1 and Tier 2 emissions standards, consuming 1.4 g/kg of fuel consumed (150 g for 20 hours of operation). Finally, the lack of a correlation between the oil type and engine performance can be attributed to this low level of oil consumption, resulting in very little interaction between the oil and the combustion chamber contents.« less