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Investigation on total and instantaneous energy balance of bio-alternative fuels on an SI internal combustion engine

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Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of some biofuels on thermal balance and performance characteristics of a single-cylinder, four-stroke SI internal combustion engine. In this study, total and instantaneous energy balance of an air-cooled, small-scale engine using various biofuels is investigated. An experimental study is carried out on gasoline engine to validate the numerical calculations. Bio-alternative fuels which include methanol, ethanol and 2-ethanol–gasoline-blended fuels consisting of E85, E15 are examined numerically. Results indicate that methanol is the most effective fuel in aspect of power generation. Ethanol, E85, E15 and gasoline are placed in next positions, respectively. Break specific fuel consumption shows totally reversed trend. It is evaluated that by increasing engine speed, heat transfer to brake power ratio decreases and lower percentage of energy in form of heat transfer is lost. The least heat transfer to brake power ratio among studied fuel is related to methanol which approves it as the most efficient biofuel. Based on instantaneous in-cylinder energy balance analysis, at the end of combustion and during expansion stroke, instantaneous brake work of fuels outpaces each other at around 40° crank angle aTDC.

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Abbreviations

\(P\) :

Cylinder pressure (kPa)

\(\theta\) :

Crank angle (°)

\(\gamma\) :

Specific heat ratio

\(x_{\text{b}}\) :

Mass fraction burned

\(q_{\text{w}}\) :

Engine’s wall heat loss (J)

\(V\) :

In-cylinder volume (m3)

\(V_{\text{C}}\) :

Cylinder clearance volume (m3)

\(B\) :

Cylinder bore (m)

\(l\) :

Connecting rod’s length (m)

\(a\) :

Crank radius (m)

\(s\) :

Distance between piston pin axis and crank axis (m)

\(a\) :

Adjustable parameter

\(m\) :

Adjustable parameter

\(\theta_{0}\) :

Start of combustion (°)

\(h\) :

Heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

\(T\) :

Temperature (K)

\(\omega\) :

Average cylinder gas velocity (m s−1)

\(A_{\text{w}}\) :

Wall area (m2)

\(T_{\text{w}}\) :

Wall temperature (K)

\(T_{\text{g}}\) :

In-cylinder gas temperature (K)

\(C_{1}\) :

Constant parameter

\(\bar{S}_{\text{P}}\) :

Mean piston speed (m s−1)

\(C_{2}\) :

Constant parameter

\(T_{\text{r}}\) :

Working-fluid temperature (K)

\(P_{\text{r}}\) :

Working-fluid pressure (kPa)

\(V_{\text{r}}\) :

Working-fluid volume (m3)

\(P_{\hbox{max} }\) :

In-cylinder maximum pressure (kPa)

\(P_{\text{m}}\) :

Motored cylinder pressure (kPa)

\(N\) :

Engine speed (rpm)

\(\dot{E}\) :

Rate of energy (kJ)

\(\dot{Q}_{\text{fuel}}\) :

Fuel power (kW)

\(\dot{W}_{\text{b}}\) :

Brake power (kW)

\(\dot{Q}_{\text{ex}}\) :

Dissipated power by exhaust (kW)

\(\dot{Q}_{\text{ht}}\) :

Dissipated power by heat transfer (kW)

\(Q_{\text{HV}}\) :

Fuel heating value (kJ kg−1)

\(\eta_{\text{c}}\) :

Combustion efficiency

\(\dot{m}_{\text{a}}\) :

Mass flow rate of air (kg s−1)

\(\dot{m}_{\text{f}}\) :

Mass flow rate of fuel (kg s−1)

\(T_{\text{ex}}\) :

Exhaust gases temperature (°C)

\(T_{\text{a}}\) :

Ambient temperature (°C)

\(C_{\text{ex}}\) :

Average specific heat of exhaust gases (kJ kg−1 K−1)

\(V_{\text{d}}\) :

Displacement volume (m3)

\(n\) :

Number of cylinders

\({\text{bmep}}\) :

Brake mean effective pressure (bar)

\({\text{imep}}\) :

Indicated mean effective pressure (bar)

\({\text{fmep}}\) :

Friction mean effective pressure (bar)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Pouria Azarikhah

  2. Automotive Fluids and Structures Analysis Laboratory, School of Automotive Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Sina Jenabi Haghparast & Ali Qasemian

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  1. Pouria Azarikhah
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  2. Sina Jenabi Haghparast
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  3. Ali Qasemian
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Correspondence to Ali Qasemian.

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Azarikhah, P., Haghparast, S.J. & Qasemian, A. Investigation on total and instantaneous energy balance of bio-alternative fuels on an SI internal combustion engine. J Therm Anal Calorim 137, 1681–1692 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-08063-5

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