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Using Natural Gas/Hydrogen Mixture as a Fuel in a 6-Cylinder Stoichiometric Spark Ignition Engine

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Enriched Methane

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

Hydrogen added to natural gas improves the process of combustion with the possibility to develop engines with higher performance and lower environmental impact. In this chapter, experimental analyses on multi-cylinder heavy duty engines, fuelled with natural gas–hydrogen blends, are reported. Theoretical aspects on engine performance are illustrated and a formula to evaluate the benefit of H2 addition on NG combustion is defined. Experimental data on the effects of air index and exhaust gas recycling on combustion with different NG/H2 blends are discussed followed by an experimental comparison of stoichiometric and lean-burn strategies on the European transient cycle for heavy duty emission certification. Results of the study indicate that a right metering of hydrogen into the natural gas and an optimization of the charge dilution provides not only a reduction in tailpipe CO2 emissions and a more complete combustion process with a lower formation of THC and CO, but also a possible increase in engine efficiency, avoiding abnormal combustion phenomena.

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Abbreviations

BGC:

Burning gravity centre

BMEP:

Brake mean effective pressure

BSEC:

Brake specific energy consumption

BSFC:

Brake specific fuel consumption

CAD:

Crank angle degree

CNG:

Compressed natural gas

ECU:

Electronic control unit

EEV:

Enhanced environmentally friendly vehicle

EGR:

Exhaust gas recycling

ETC:

European transient cycle

FID:

Flame ionization detector

HCNG:

Hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas

HD:

Heavy duty

HR:

Heat release

ID:

Incubation duration

LHV:

Lower heating value

MAP:

Manifold absolute pressure

MCD:

Main combustion duration

MV:

Mean value

NG:

Natural gas

NGup :

Natural gas unburned percentage

NMHC:

Non-methane hydrocarbons

PT:

Particulate matter

SA:

Spark advance

SD:

Standard deviation

SI:

Spark ignition

THC:

Total hydrocarbons

TWC:

Three-way catalyst

UEGO:

Universal exhaust gas oxygen

WG:

Wastegate

WOT:

Wide open throttle

TTS :

Energy content of the air–fuel stoichiometric mixture

yH2 :

Mass fraction of H2 in the NG/H2 blend

\(\dot{m}\) :

Mass flow rate

P:

Power

ρmix,st :

Density of the air–fuel stoichiometric mixture

αst :

Stoichiometric air–fuel ratio

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Motori–National Research Council, Viale Marconi, 4, 80125, Naples, Italy

    Luigi De Simio, Michele Gambino & Sabato Iannaccone

Authors
  1. Luigi De Simio
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  2. Michele Gambino
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  3. Sabato Iannaccone
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luigi De Simio .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Marcello De Falco

  2. ITM-CNR, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy

    Angelo Basile

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De Simio, L., Gambino, M., Iannaccone, S. (2016). Using Natural Gas/Hydrogen Mixture as a Fuel in a 6-Cylinder Stoichiometric Spark Ignition Engine. In: De Falco, M., Basile, A. (eds) Enriched Methane. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22192-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22192-2_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-22191-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-22192-2

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