The objective of this thesis is to investigate and compare the performance and emissions characteristics of diesel-ignited methane and diesel-ignited propane dual fuel LTC in a single cylinder research engine (SCRE) at a constant engine load of 5.1 bar net indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) and at a constant engine speed of 1500 RPM. Percentage of energy substitution of propane or methane (0 - 90 percent), diesel injection timing (SOI: 355 CAD -- 280 CAD), rail pressure (200 bar -- 1300 bar) and boost pressure (1.1 bar -- 1.8 bar) were varied to quantify their impact on engine performance and engine-out ISNOx, ISHC, ISCO, and smoke emissions. Advancing SOI to 310 CAD and beyond yielded simultaneous ISNOx and smoke emissions. A rail pressure of 500 bar was the optimal one for both fueling combinations while increasing boost pressure over 1.2 bar had a very little effect on ISNOx and smoke emissions.

This book covers the various advanced reciprocating combustion engine technologies that utilize natural gas and alternative fuels for transportation and power generation applications. It is divided into three major sections consisting of both fundamental and applied technologies to identify (but not limited to) clean, high-efficiency opportunities with natural gas fueling that have been developed through experimental protocols, numerical and high-performance computational simulations, and zero-dimensional, multizone combustion simulations. Particular emphasis is placed on statutes to monitor fine particulate emissions from tailpipe of engines operating on natural gas and alternative fuels.

Diesel-ignited gasoline and diesel-ignited methane dual fuel combustion experiments were performed in a single-cylinder research engine (SCRE), outfitted with a common-rail diesel injection system and a stand-alone engine controller. Gasoline was injected in the intake port using a port-fuel injector, whereas methane was fumigated into the intake manifold. The engine was operated at a constant speed of 1500 rev/min, a constant load of 5.2 bar IMEP, and a constant gasoline/methane energy substitution of 80%. Parameters such as diesel injection timing (SOI), diesel injection pressure, and boost pressure were varied to quantify their impact on engine performance and engineout ISNOx, ISHC, ISCO, and smoke emissions. The change in combustion process from heterogeneous combustion to HCCI like combustion was also observed.

The present manuscript discusses the performance and emission benefits due to two diesel injections in diesel-ignited methane dual fuel Low Temperature Combustion (LTC). A Single Cylinder Research Engine (SCRE) adapted for diesel-ignited methane dual fuelling was operated at 1500 rev/min and 5 bar BMEP with 1.5 bar intake manifold pressure. The first injection was fixed at 310 CAD. A 2nd injection sweep timing was performed to determine the best 2nd injection timing (as 375 CAD) at a fixed Percentage Energy Substitution (PES 75%). The motivation to use a second late injection ATDC was to oxidize Unburnt Hydrocarbons (HC) generated from the dual fuel combustion of first injection. Finally, an injection pressure sweep (550-1300 bar) helped achieve simultaneous reduction of HC (56%) and CO (43%) emissions accompanied with increased IFCE (10%) and combustion efficiency (12%) w.r.t. the baseline single injection (at 310 CAD) of dual fuel LTC.

It's crucial to use advanced combustion strategies to increase efficiency and decrease engine-out pollutants because of the compelling need to reduce the global carbon footprint. This dissertation proposes dual fuel low-temperature combustion as a viable strategy to decrease engine-out emissions and increase the thermal efficiency of future heavy-duty internal combustion (IC) engines. In dual fuel combustion, a low reactivity fuel (e.g. methane, propane) is ignited by a high reactivity fuel (diesel) in a compression-ignited engine. Generally, the energy fraction of low reactivity fuel is maintained at much higher levels than the energy fraction of the high reactivity fuel. For a properly calibrated engine, combustion occurs at lean and low-temperature conditions (LTC). This decreases the chances of the formation of soot and oxides of nitrogen within the engine. However, at low load conditions, this type of combustion results in high hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions. The first part of this research experimentally examines the effect of methane (a natural gas surrogate) substitution on early injection dual fuel combustion at representative low loads of 3.3 and 5.0 bar BMEPs in a single-cylinder compression ignition engine (SCRE). Gaseous methane fumigated into the intake manifold at various methane energy fractions was ignited using a high-pressure diesel pilot injection at 310 CAD. Cyclic combustion variations at both loads were also analyzed to obtain further insights into the combustion process and identify opportunities to further improve fuel conversion efficiencies at low load operation. In the second part, the cyclic variations in dual fuel combustion of three different low reactivity fuels (methane, propane, and gasoline) ignited using a high-pressure diesel pilot injection was examined and the challenges and opportunities in utilizing methane, propane, and gasoline in diesel ignited dual fuel combustion, as well as strategies for mitigating cyclic variations, were explored. Finally, in the third part a CFD model was created for diesel methane dual fuel LTC. The validated model was used to investigate the effect of methane on diesel autoignition and various spray targeting strategies were explored to mitigate high hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions at low load conditions.

This book contains the proceedings of the International Symposium on Alternative and Advanced Automotive Engines, held in Vancouver, B.C., on August 11 and 12, 1986. The symposium was sponsored by EXPO 86 and The University of British Columbia, and was part of the specialized periods program of EXPO 86, the 1986 world's fair held in Vancouver. Some 80 attendees were drawn from 11 countries, representing the academic, auto motive and large engine communities. The purpose of the symposium was to provide a critical review of the major alternatives to the internal combustion engine. The scope of the symposium was limited to consideration of combustion engines, so that electric power, for example, was not considered. This was not a reflec tion on the possible contribution which electric propulsion may make in the future, but rather an attempt to focus the proceedings more sharply than if all possible propulsion systems had been considered. In this way all of the contributors were able to participate in the sometimes lively discussion sessions following the presentation of each paper.

The present manuscript discusses the use of two diesel injections in diesel-ignited propane dual fuel Low Temperature Combustion (LTC). Using propane fumigation into the intake runners of a single cylinder research engine, the maximum and minimum percent energy substitution (PES) values were obtained to be 90% and 53%, respectively at 3.3 bar BMEP. An optimal PES value of 80% was used to explore the effects of a secondary injection on the engine-out emissions. The secondary injection proved to have a strong influence on combustion phasing (CA50). As combustion is phased closer to TDC the IFCE shows and increase of 4% at 5 bar BMEP and 6% at 3.3 bar BMEP. Finally, a relationship between the IFCE and the CO to CO2 conversion was developed. An increase in the carbon to hydrogen ratio of the fuel shows a reduction of the CO output of the engine while the CO2 concentration increases. More importantly however, the CO to CO2 conversion shows a direct effect on the IFCE. It is shown that a decrease in CO emissions found in the engine-out emissions will correlate directly with an increase in the IFCE.