International Journal of Automotive Manufacturing and Materials

A Visual Study on of HCB/Gasoline Dual-Fuel Combustion Strategy and Premix Ratio in a Diesel Engine

Qian Wang, Botian Guo, Lixuan Cao, Xu Liu, Yi Jiang, Jiawei Yao — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Article

A Visual Study on of HCB/Gasoline Dual-Fuel Combustion Strategy and Premix Ratio in a Diesel Engine

Qian Wang ^*, Botian Guo, Lixuan Cao, Xu Liu, Yi Jiang, and Jiawei Yao

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

^* Correspondence: qwang@ujs.edu.cn

Received: 8 November 2023

Accepted: 22 January 2024

Published: 30 January 2024

Abstract: This study investigates the combustion characteristics of hydrogen catalysed biodiesel (HCB) ignited gasoline in an optical engine using the Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) combustion model. The experiment uses a single injection strategy to determine the optimum injection timing for gasoline ignition by varying the HCB injection timing (-30 to -15° CAATDC) and the ratio of high to low reactivity fuel energy (10% to 30%), to investigate the gasoline premix ratio, and to analyse the flame development characteristics. The results indicate that as the HCB energy ratio increases, the in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate increase significantly, and the in-cylinder combustion temperature improves significantly. As the injection timing is delayed, the combustion phase shifts back, and when the injection timing is close to the upper stop, the in-cylinder combustion pressure and heat release rate increase first increase and then decrease. Based on the results, it can be concluded that optimising the HCB injection timing and energy ratio can effectively control the distribution of the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber, thereby improving combustion efficiency and emission performance. By strategically adjusting the injection timing, an ideal balance between fuel stratification and flame propagation can be achieved, which ultimately improves the overall combustion process. The results of this study provide valuable insights for the further development of combustion control strategies and contribute to the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly engine technologies.

Study on Combustion and Soot Formation Characteristics of RCCI Engine with Diesel Mixed with PODE Ignited Gasoline

Qian Wang, Botian Guo, Wenjun Zhong, Peng Jiang, Xu Liu — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Article

Study on Combustion and Soot Formation Characteristics of RCCI Engine with Diesel Mixed with PODE Ignited Gasoline

Qian Wang, Botian Guo, Wenjun Zhong ^*, Peng Jiang ^*, and Xu Liu

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

^* Correspondence: wj_zhong@ujs.edu.cn (W.Z.); jiangpeng@ujs.edu.cn (P.J.)

Received: 8 November 2023

Accepted: 23 January 2024

Published: 30 January 2024

Abstract: Polymethoxydimethyl ether (PODE) is a promising clean alternative fuel with the potential to improve carbon emissions from internal combustion engines. However, when used as a sole fuel, its low viscosity leads to increased wear on high-pressure pumps and injectors. Furthermore, its low calorific value makes it unsuitable for direct application in diesel engines. Numerous studies have shown that blending PODE with diesel results in lower soot generation throughout the entire combustion cycle in diesel engines. However, the process of reducing in-cylinder soot generation is not yet clear, necessitating further optical diagnostics of in-cylinder combustion. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the influence of PODE/diesel blend combustion on the combustion characteristics and soot generation properties of reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) diesel engines. The study employs an optical engine and conducts experiments using high-speed imaging and two-color pyrometry. Preliminary experiments indicate that a 50% premixed ratio exhibits better heat release and lower soot generation. Thus, this study explores the effects on in-cylinder combustion and soot generation properties by varying the PODE blending ratio and injection strategy under a 50% premixed ratio. Results indicate that with an increase in PODE blending ratio, both peak in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate decrease, and the combustion duration is prolonged. Compared to diesel, the soot content of P20D80 (20% PODE and 80% diesel) and P50D50 (50% PODE and 50% diesel) is 55.22% and 36.55% respectively, while the heat release is 97.89% and 95.39% of that of diesel. The total amount of soot generated was 55.22% and 36.55% of that of direct injection P0D100, the high temperature area of soot was reduced by 52.9% and 73.32% respectively, the stable value of the average soot temperature was reduced by 6.65 K and 20.25 K respectively, and the average KL factor was the stability values were reduced by 10.35% and 16.12% respectively. P50D50 effectively reduces soot generation while maintaining thermal efficiency. Furthermore, an investigation of injection strategy under P50D50 condition reveals that segmented injection results in lower cylinder pressure, peak heat release rate, and total soot generation compared to single injection. The average temperature of the two-stage injection strategy increased, and the average temperature of soot stable time under the operating conditions of D-40/-20, D-35/-20 and D-30/-20 were 2100.85 K, 2210.16 K and 2192.24 K, respectively. The stable values of the average KL factor of soot under the operating conditions of D-40/-20, D-35/-20 and D-30/-20 were 86.52%, 66.62% and 62.79% of those of S-20, respectively. Although it effectively suppresses soot generation, it comes at the cost of sacrificing a portion of heat release.

Disruptive Innovation for Automotive Industry and the Solutions for Enterprise Innovation System Reengineering

Weiqun Ren — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Review

Disruptive Innovation for Automotive Industry and the Solutions for Enterprise Innovation System Reengineering

Weiqun Ren

Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles Co. Ltd., Wuhan 430000, China

^* Correspondence: renweiqun@tsinghua.org.cn

Received: 26 January 2024

Accepted: 6 March 2024

Published: 12 March 2024

Abstract: Focus on the current disruptive innovation trends, automotive industry needs to have solutions for enterprise innovation system reengineering. The innovations include the energy and power technology bringing vehicle powertrain electrification, intelligent control technology bringing autonomous drive/intelligent vehicle, and communication technology bringing vehicle connectivity and sharing. Facing the impact of these, enterprise innovation system reengineering needs to be considering the effects to strategic planning, product development process, and new business models, etc.

Catalytic NOx Aftertreatment—Towards Ultra-Low NOx Mobility

Navjot Sandhu, Xiao Yu, Ming Zheng — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Review

Catalytic NO_x Aftertreatment—Towards Ultra-Low NO_x Mobility

Navjot Sandhu ^*, Xiao Yu, and Ming Zheng

Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada

^* Correspondence: sandh12p@uwindsor.ca

Received: 26 January 2024

Accepted: 13 March 2024

Published: 20 March 2024

Abstract: The push for environmental protection and sustainability has led to strict emission regulations for automotive manufacturers as evident in EURO VII and EPA2027 requirements. The challenge lies in maintaining fuel efficiency and simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint while meeting future emission regulations. Nitrogen oxides represent one of the major and most regulated components of automotive emissions. The need to meet the stringent requirements regarding NO_x emissions in both SI and CI engines has led to the development of a range of in-cylinder strategies and after-treatment techniques. In-cylinder NO_x control strategies including charge dilution (fresh air and EGR), low-temperature combustion, and use of alternative fuels (as drop-in replacements or dual fuel operation) have proven to be highly effective in thermal NO_x abatement. Aftertreatment methods are required to further reduce NO_x emissions. Current catalytic aftertreatment systems for NO_x mitigation in SI and CI engines include the three-way catalyst (TWC), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and lean NO_x trap (LNT). This review summarizes various approaches to NO_x abatement in IC engines using aftertreatment catalysts. The mechanism, composition, operation parameters and recent advances in each after-treatment system are discussed in detail. The challenges to the current after-treatment scenario, such as cold start light off, catalyst poisoning and the limits of current aftertreatment solutions in relevance to the EURO VII and 2026 EPA requirements are highlighted. Lastly, recommendations are made for future aftertreatment systems to achieve ultra-low NO_x emissions.

Investigation on Fuel Properties of Synthetic Gasoline-like Fuels

Weidi Huang, Kinoshita Koichi, Abe Yohko, Oguma Mitsuharu, Tanaka Kotaro — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Article

Investigation on Fuel Properties of Synthetic Gasoline-like Fuels

Weidi Huang ^1,2, Koichi Kinoshita ^1,*, Yohko Abe ¹, Mitsuharu Oguma ¹, and Kotaro Tanaka ^2,3

¹ Research Institute for Energy Conservation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-2-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8564, Japan

² Carbon Recycling Energy Research Centre, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1 Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511, Japan

³ Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1 Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511, Japan

* Correspondence: koichi-kinoshita@aist.go.jp

Received: 8 November 2023

Accepted: 25 March 2024

Published: 27 March 2024

Abstract: Synthetic fuels have gained considerable attention due to their promising characteristics. A comprehensive survey was undertaken to assess the availability of synthetic fuels in the global market, followed by an investigation to evaluate their potential in engines. This report presents the initial findings regarding the physical and chemical properties of synthetic gasoline-like fuels, specifically DMC (dimethyl carbonate), bioethanol, EtG (ethanol-to-gasoline), G40, and bio-naphtha. A comparison was conducted between these synthetic fuels and conventional gasoline. Furthermore, discussions were provided to enhance the understanding of the potential influence of fuel properties on spray and combustion characteristics. EtG and G40 are specifically designed to emulate conventional gasoline. Results indicate that EtG and gasoline should be directly interchangeable in the engine or blended in any proportion because they have almost identical Research Octane Number (RON)/Motor Octane Number (MON), fuel density, and higher heating value (HHV). G40 has a higher RON (105) compared with that of gasoline (92.2), likely resulting from the high content of iso-paraffin in G40. Bio-naphtha exhibits the high fraction of paraffin and naphthene content relative to other fuels. The feature of chemical compositions results in a lower RON (55.9), lower HHV and smaller fuel density compared to other fuels. DMC and bioethanol blends in gasoline were investigated. Regardless of whether DMC or bioethanol is incorporated, under a 60% blend ratio, gasoline distillation accelerates initially, until DMC or bioethanol completely evaporates, after which gasoline distillation returns to its normal rate. With increasing the volumetric fraction of the ethanol in the blends, either chemical compositions or the RON/HHV basically change linearly.

Experimental Investigation of Gaseous Emissions and Hydrocarbon Speciation for MF and MTHF Gasoline Blends in DISI Engine

Rafiu K. Olalere, Gengxin Zhang, Hongming Xu — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Article

Experimental Investigation of Gaseous Emissions and Hydrocarbon Speciation for MF and MTHF Gasoline Blends in DISI Engine

Rafiu K. Olalere ^1,2, Gengxin Zhang ¹, and Hongming Xu ^{1,3, *}

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston,
Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

² Department Mechanical Engineering, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu 02341, Nigeria

³ State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

^* Correspondence: h.m.xu@bham.ac.uk

Received: 8 November 2023

Accepted: 25 March 2024

Published: 28 March 2024

Abstract: With the increasing shortage of fossil energy, the development of engines urgently requires alternative fuels. Gaseous emissions of a gasoline direct injection spark ignition engine fueled with blends of 2-methylfuran (MF 20% vol. and gasoline 80% vol.) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF 20% vol. and gasoline 80% vol.) were experimentally investigated using Gasmeth FTIR. Experiments were conducted at air-fuel ratio (λ = 1) and at engine speed of 1500 rpm using the fuels optimised spark timing. Effects of fuel injection sweeps (180–280 °CA BTDC) on the emission characteristics of blends were investigated at the intermediate load of 5.5 bar IMEP. Hydrocarbon emission (HC) for gasoline is about 41% and 16% higher compared to MF20 and MTHF20 respectively. Carbon monoxide emission for the fuels increases as the injection timing is retarded but the Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions was observed to reduce with the retarded injection timing. Both MF20 and MTHF20 recorded high NOx emissions compared to gasoline. The results indicated ethylene (25–26%) as the major component of the HC speciation in the fuels investigated. The unburnt furan samples for blend fuels were determined to be less than 3% of HC emissions, which could be considered a safe level for exposure.