Investigation of Engine Performance and Combustion and Use of Oxidation Catalysts in an LPG-Diesel Dual-Fuel Engine
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 6
Abstract
Dual-fuel engines can partially replace conventional diesel with alternative gaseous fuels and achieve lower smoke and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. However, the fumigation of gaseous hydrocarbon fuels in dual-fuel engines results in high carbon monoxide (CO) and unburnt hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, particularly at low loads. In this work, a single-cylinder diesel engine was converted into a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-diesel dual-fuel engine. The engine performance and combustion characteristics have been studied along with the emissions of CO, HC, NOx, and smoke for 36%–64% LPG substitutions at 20%–70% loads. Reductions in CO and HC have also been studied with a commercial oxidation catalytic converter (OC) and a customized OC. The LPG-diesel dual-fuel engine operates efficiently with high LPG substitutions at 70% load. Without the use of the OCs, the LPG fumigation increases CO and HC emissions by up to 230% and 173%, respectively, with respect to diesel mode operations (single diesel fuel operations). The HC conversion efficiencies of the commercial OC are limited to approximately 60% at below half-load operations. However, the customized OC achieves HC conversion efficiencies of 77%–92% at 20%–70% loads, and the resultant HC emissions are 38%–87% lower than those of the diesel mode. Further, smoke emissions are 92%–96% lower than the diesel mode. The present study shows that the LPG-diesel dual-fuel mode can achieve CO, HC, NOx, and smoke emissions considerably lower than the diesel mode.
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Data Availability Statement
The engine performance, combustion, and emissions data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors express thanks to Dr. Jagdish Kumar, Dr. Raj Kumar Singh, Mr. Vempatapu Bhanu Prasad, and Mr. Rohit Kumar for analyses of test fuel properties. The authors also thank Dr. Raj Kumar Singh for the measurement of the physicochemical characteristics of diesel and Mr. Ramesh Kolluram Kawale, Mr. Romil Negi, and Mr. Ripudaman Singh Negi for their support in preparing the test setup and its operation. The authors also thank Mr. L. Robindro for his support in emission measurement instruments. The authors thank the Director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, for supporting this study.
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Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 6 • December 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Mar 23, 2021
Accepted: Aug 10, 2021
Published online: Oct 6, 2021
Published in print: Dec 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Mar 6, 2022
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