The use of gaseous fuels mixtures for SI engines propulsion

Abstract

Paper presents results of SI engine tests, carried on for different gaseous fuels. Carried out analysis made it possible to define correlation between fuel composition and engine operating parameters. Tests covered various gaseous mixtures: of methane and hydrogen and LPG with DME featuring different shares. The first group, considered as low carbon content fuels can be characterized by low CO2 emissions. Flammability of hydrogen added in those mixtures realizes the function of combustion process activator. That is why hydrogen addition improves the energy conversion by about 3%. The second group of fuels is constituted by LPG and DME mixtures. DME mixes perfectly with LPG, and differently than in case of other hydrocarbon fuels consists also of oxygen makes the stoichiometric mixture less oxygen demanding. In case of this fuel an improvement in engine volumetric and overall engine efficiency has been noticed, when compared to LPG. For the 11% DME share in the mixture an improvement of 2% in the efficiency has been noticed. During the tests standard CNG/LPG feeding systems have been used, what underlines utility value of the research. The stand tests results have been followed by combustion process simulation including exhaust forming and charge exchange.