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Effect of equivalence ratio and mixing time on combustion of ammonia/oxygen/argon mixture using a constant volume combustion chamber with sub-chamber

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Abstract

Ammonia has received significant attention as a fuel due to its carbon-free molecular structure. However, burning ammonia is challenging because of its low laminar burning velocity. To promote the combustion velocity, the authors propose a constant volume combustion chamber with a sub-chamber. This study investigated the effects of the mixing time and equivalence ratio of the ammonia/oxygen/argon mixture on combustion. The mean velocity of the ejection from the sub-chamber can be calculated by evaluating the combustion pressure, mass fraction burned, and volume fraction burned. It was clarified that with the sub-chamber structure, the ejection from the sub-chamber improved the compression and turbulence of unburned gas in the main chamber and increased the mean flame velocity of ammonia combustion. The appropriate glow plug temperature could improve the ignitability of the fuel mixture, leading to increased combustion efficiency, maximum combustion pressure, and reduced combustion time.

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Abbreviations

A :

Area [m2]

D :

Diameter [m]

LHV :

Lower heating value [J/kg]

M :

Mass [kg]

m :

Molar mass [kg/mol]

P :

Pressure [MPa]

Q :

Total heat released [J]

R :

Gas constant [J/(K·mol)]

R 0 :

Universal gas constant [J/(K·mol)]

r :

Fraction burned [-]

T :

Temperature [K]

t :

Time [s]

V :

Volume [m3]

v :

Velocity [m/s]

η :

Efficiency [-]

κ :

Specific heat ratio [-]

φ :

Equivalence ratio [-]

Ar :

Argon

a :

Ammonia supply

b :

Burned

b 0 :

Before combustion

c :

Combustion

f :

Flame

initial :

Initial

input :

Input

j :

Ejected

m :

Mass

max :

Maximum

NH 3 :

Ammonia

O 2 :

Oxygen

orifice :

Orifice

CI:

Compression-ignition

IH:

Induction heating

TDC:

Top dead center

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No.19K04244), and Sophia University Special Grant for Academic Research, Research in Priority Areas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8554, Japan

    Bin Guo, Takuma Ohashi & Qinyue Zheng

  2. Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8554, Japan

    Mitsuhisa Ichiyanagi & Takashi Suzuki

Authors
  1. Bin Guo
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  2. Mitsuhisa Ichiyanagi
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  3. Takuma Ohashi
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  4. Qinyue Zheng
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  5. Takashi Suzuki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takashi Suzuki.

Additional information

Bin Guo is a Ph.D. candidate at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He received his M.Sc. from Sophia University in 2020. His research contributions are in combustion analysis of ammonia-fueled internal combustion engine.

Mitsuhisa Ichiyanagi is a Professor of Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He received his M.Sc. in 2005 and his Ph.D. in 2008 from Keio University, Yokohama, Japan. His research contributions are in heat and mass transfer, the modeling of CI engine, the development of internal combustion engine using alternative automotive fuels, and the investigation of boiling flows.

Takuma Ohashi is a Master’s student at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He received his B.S. from Sophia University in 2022. His research contributions are in combustion analysis of ammonia-fueled internal combustion engine.

Qinyue Zheng is a Master’s student at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He received his B.S. from Shanghai Univ. of Electric Power in 2015. His research contributions are in the development of ammonia-fueled internal combustion engine.

Takashi Suzuki is a Professor of Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He received his Ph.D. in 1999 from Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He has been teaching at Sophia University since 1988. His research contributions in the improvement of thermal efficiency of SI engine, the combustion analysis of alternative automotive fuels, and the investigation of boiling flows.

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Guo, B., Ichiyanagi, M., Ohashi, T. et al. Effect of equivalence ratio and mixing time on combustion of ammonia/oxygen/argon mixture using a constant volume combustion chamber with sub-chamber. J Mech Sci Technol 37, 3829–3840 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0645-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0645-9

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