Session: 02-03: Natural Gas

Paper Number: 140936

140936 - Operation and Performance of a Monofueled Compression Ignition, Direct Injection, Natural Gas Heavy Duty Engine 

Abstract: 

With increasingly stringent emissions regulations, researchers continue to seek new technologies and
the application of alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. The Compression Ignition of Directly
Injected Natural Gas (CIDI NG) offers a potential 25% reduction in CO2 emissions due to its high
hydrogen-to-carbon ratio compared to diesel, while achieving ultra-low PM formation with high
efficiencies and load capability. The primary challenge of a CIDI NG engine is achieving suitable ignition
temperatures, upwards of 1150K, and in-cylinder conditions required for the stable ignition and
combustion of late cycle high pressure direct injection of the fuel over a wide operating range. This
experimental study investigates a successful CIDI NG combustion in a heavy-duty Single Cylinder
Research Engine (SCRE). The SCRE uses a combination of ignition-enhancing technologies to target these
required conditions, including an increased compression ratio, intake charge heating, thermal barrier
coatings, EGR, and NG pilot injection. Additionally, charge mixing is promoted through the refinement of
the piston bowl geometry, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced soot formation. This study
shows the effect of the implemented hardware technology (CR, Bowl Geometry, Thermal Barrier
Coating) on the combustion of key operating conditions (low, medium, high load, high-efficiency
operation, low emissions) of the NG CIDI engine. Stable combustion and engine operation was
demonstrated over a wide load from 5.5 to a peak load of 25 bar IMEPg, and a maximum indicated
thermal efficiency (ITE) of 48.8% at a load of 15.2 bar IMEPg was achieved. The work conducted with the
single cylinder research engine shows that this operation is feasible and can become commercially
available in the future.

Presenting Author: Tyler White Michigan Technological University

Presenting Author Biography: Graduate Research Assistant at Michigan Technological University's (MTU) Advance Power Systems Research Center (APSRC).

Authors:

Tyler White Michigan Technological University
Vinicius Bonfochi Vinhaes Michigan Technological University
Brian Eggart Michigan Technological University
Ashish Singh Westport Fuel Systems Inc.
Marco Turcios Westport Fuel Systems Inc.
Sandeep Munshi Westport Fuel Systems Inc.
Jeffrey Naber Michigan Technological University