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Reformed Methanol Gas as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine Fuel

Stenlåås, Ola LU ; Christensen, Magnus LU ; Egnell, Rolf LU ; Tunestål, Per LU ; Mauss, Fabian LU and Johansson, Bengt LU (2004) 2004(1896). p.127-140
Abstract
Hydrogen has been proposed as a possible fuel for automotive applications. Methanol is one of the most efficient ways to store and handle hydrogen. By catalytic reformation it is possible to convert methanol into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This paper reports an experimental investigation of Reformed Methanol Gas as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine fuel. The aim of the experimental study is to investigate the possibility to run an HCCI engine on a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, to study the combustion phasing, the efficiency and the formation of emissions.



Reformed Methanol Gas (RMG) was found to be a possible fuel for an HCCI engine. The heat release rate was lower than with pure... (More)
Hydrogen has been proposed as a possible fuel for automotive applications. Methanol is one of the most efficient ways to store and handle hydrogen. By catalytic reformation it is possible to convert methanol into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This paper reports an experimental investigation of Reformed Methanol Gas as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine fuel. The aim of the experimental study is to investigate the possibility to run an HCCI engine on a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, to study the combustion phasing, the efficiency and the formation of emissions.



Reformed Methanol Gas (RMG) was found to be a possible fuel for an HCCI engine. The heat release rate was lower than with pure hydrogen but still high compared to other fuels. The interval of possible start of combustion crank angles was found to be narrow but wider than for hydrogen. The high rate of heat release limited the operating range to lean (glmg3) cases as with hydrogen. On the other hand, operation on extremely lean mixtures (glme6) was possible. The operating range was investigated using intake air temperature for control and also this control interval was found to be narrow but more extensive than for pure hydrogen, especially when richer cases were run. The maximal load in HCCI mode was a net Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEPn) of 3.5 bar for RMG. This is the same maximum IMEPn as for hydrogen. It is about half the load possible in Spark Ignition (SI) mode and about half the maximal load in HCCI mode with other fuels. For the loads where HCCI operation was possible, indicated thermal efficiency for HCCI was superior to that of SI operation. The indicated overall efficiency of the engine-reformer system is as high for SI as for HCCI operation when RMG is used as fuel. NOx emissions were, as expected, found to decrease when the equivalence ratio was lowered. High levels of carbon monoxide were found in the exhaust. Emissions of hydrocarbons were detected, probably originating from evaporated and partially oxidized lubrication oil. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
HCCI, Reformed Methanol, Engine, Combustion
host publication
SAE Special Publications
volume
2004
issue
1896
pages
127 - 140
publisher
Society of Automotive Engineers
external identifiers
  • scopus:85072433656
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
204f95ea-1bc2-4899-92a3-59b7081c7e09 (old id 538203)
alternative location
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/docdel/art1045659631
http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2004-01-2991
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:17:01
date last changed
2022-02-28 21:12:13
@inproceedings{204f95ea-1bc2-4899-92a3-59b7081c7e09,
  abstract     = {{Hydrogen has been proposed as a possible fuel for automotive applications. Methanol is one of the most efficient ways to store and handle hydrogen. By catalytic reformation it is possible to convert methanol into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This paper reports an experimental investigation of Reformed Methanol Gas as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine fuel. The aim of the experimental study is to investigate the possibility to run an HCCI engine on a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, to study the combustion phasing, the efficiency and the formation of emissions. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
Reformed Methanol Gas (RMG) was found to be a possible fuel for an HCCI engine. The heat release rate was lower than with pure hydrogen but still high compared to other fuels. The interval of possible start of combustion crank angles was found to be narrow but wider than for hydrogen. The high rate of heat release limited the operating range to lean (glmg3) cases as with hydrogen. On the other hand, operation on extremely lean mixtures (glme6) was possible. The operating range was investigated using intake air temperature for control and also this control interval was found to be narrow but more extensive than for pure hydrogen, especially when richer cases were run. The maximal load in HCCI mode was a net Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEPn) of 3.5 bar for RMG. This is the same maximum IMEPn as for hydrogen. It is about half the load possible in Spark Ignition (SI) mode and about half the maximal load in HCCI mode with other fuels. For the loads where HCCI operation was possible, indicated thermal efficiency for HCCI was superior to that of SI operation. The indicated overall efficiency of the engine-reformer system is as high for SI as for HCCI operation when RMG is used as fuel. NOx emissions were, as expected, found to decrease when the equivalence ratio was lowered. High levels of carbon monoxide were found in the exhaust. Emissions of hydrocarbons were detected, probably originating from evaporated and partially oxidized lubrication oil.}},
  author       = {{Stenlåås, Ola and Christensen, Magnus and Egnell, Rolf and Tunestål, Per and Mauss, Fabian and Johansson, Bengt}},
  booktitle    = {{SAE Special Publications}},
  keywords     = {{HCCI; Reformed Methanol; Engine; Combustion}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1896}},
  pages        = {{127--140}},
  publisher    = {{Society of Automotive Engineers}},
  title        = {{Reformed Methanol Gas as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine Fuel}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5969799/625776.pdf}},
  volume       = {{2004}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}