Advanced searchCitation search
Skip main navigation
Close Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Technical Papers
Aug 6, 2024

Optical and Numerical Study on Micropilot Diesel Fuel-Ignited Methane Combustion Process under Different Diesel Fuel Injection Strategies

Authors: Longlong Jiang [email protected], Wuqiang Long [email protected], Hua Tian https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2939-5168 [email protected], Jiangping Tian [email protected], Zechuan Cui [email protected], Yang Wang [email protected], Ge Xiao https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8927-4794 [email protected], Xiangyu Meng [email protected], Peng Wang [email protected], and Mingfei Lu [email protected]Author Affiliations
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 5
https://doi.org/10.1061/JLEED9.EYENG-5603
Get Access

Abstract

With increasingly stringent emissions regulations, the trend toward using low-carbon fuels in internal combustion engines is unstoppable. Achieving higher rates of methane substitution is a crucial direction for future diesel-methane engines. However, the details of the combustion process involving the auto-ignition of micro pilot diesel fuel and ignition of methane main fuel to form premixed flames are still not clear. Therefore, the study employed visualization technique using a rapid compression machine and numerical study to analyze the process of igniting methane main fuel using various injection strategies for micro pilot diesel fuel. The results indicate that before the onset of the second diesel injection, a pale blue premixed flame had already formed within the cylinder, and the ignition delay of the second diesel injection was influenced by the presence of this premixed flame. The ignition delay of the diesel droplets from the second injection decreases gradually as SOI1 advances. Compared to the single injection strategy, the split injection strategy forms smaller high-temperature regions during the combustion process, thereby displaying a discernible trend toward reducing NOx emissions. Since the energy contribution of the second diesel injection is only 2%, the turbulence and diffusion flames formed by the second diesel injection have a relatively low impact on the propagation of the methane premixed flame. The flame front for single injection strategy is closer to the thickened flames region, suggesting a thicker flame surface due to the concentrated distribution of diesel.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Get Access

Data Availability Statement

Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Key R&D program of China (No. 2022YFB4300700) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.: DUT21RC (3) 108).

References

Ahmad, Z., O. Kaario, C. Qiang, V. Vuorinen, and M. Larmi. 2019. “A parametric investigation of diesel/methane dual-fuel combustion progression/stages in a heavy-duty optical engine.” Appl. Energy 251 (Oct): 113191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.04.187.
Google Scholar
Akihama, K., Y. Takatori, K. Inagaki, S. Sasaki, and A. M. Dean. 2001. Mechanism of the smokeless rich diesel combustion by reducing temperature. Warrendale, PA: SAE International. https://doi.org/10.4271/2001-01-0655.
Google Scholar
Aksu, C., N. Kawahara, K. Tsuboi, M. Kondo, and E. Tomita. 2016. “Extension of PREMIER combustion operation range using split micro pilot fuel injection in a dual fuel natural gas compression ignition engine: A performance-based and visual investigation.” Fuel 185 (Dec): 243–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2016.07.120.
Google Scholar
Altinkurt, M. D., M. Merts, M. Tunér, and A. Turkcan. 2023. “Effects of split diesel injection strategies on combustion, knocking, cyclic variations and emissions of a natural gas-diesel dual fuel medium speed engine.” Fuel 347 (Sep): 128517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128517.
Google Scholar
Amsden, A. A., P. J. O’Rourke, and T. D. Butler. 1989. KIVA-II: A computer program for chemically reactive flows with sprays. Los Alamos, NM: Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Google Scholar
Beale, J. C., and R. D. Reitz. 1999. “Modeling spray atomization with the Kelvin-Helmholtz/Rayleigh-Taylor hybrid model.” Atomization Sprays 9 (6): 623–650. https://doi.org/10.1615/AtomizSpr.v9.i6.40.
Google Scholar
Borghi, R. 1985. “On the structure and morphology of turbulent premixed flames.” In Recent advances in the aerospace sciences: In honor of Luigi Crocco on his seventy-fifth birthday, edited by C. Casci and C. Bruno, 117–138. Boston: Springer.
Crossref
Google Scholar
Chen, L., X. Zhang, R. Zhang, and T. Chen. 2023. “Flame characteristics and abnormal combustion of methane port injection and isooctane direct injection with injection timings considered.” J. Energy Eng. 149 (5): 04023023. https://doi.org/10.1061/JLEED9.EYENG-4907.
Google Scholar
Colin, O., and A. Benkenida. 2004. “The 3-zones extended coherent flame model (ECFM3Z) for computing premixed/diffusion combustion.” Oil Gas Sci. Technol. 59 (6): 593–609. https://doi.org/10.2516/ogst:2004043.
Google Scholar
Dong, D., F. Wei, W. Long, P. Dong, H. Tian, J. Tian, P. Wang, M. Lu, and X. Meng. 2023. “Optical investigation of ammonia rich combustion based on methanol jet ignition by means of an ignition chamber.” Fuel 345 (Aug): 128202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128202.
Google Scholar
Felayati, F. M., S. Semin, B. Cahyono, R. A. Bakar, and M. Birouk. 2021. “Performance and emissions of natural gas/diesel dual-fuel engine at low load conditions: Effect of natural gas split injection strategy.” Fuel 300 (Sep): 121012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121012.
Google Scholar
Gharehghani, A., A. Kakoee, A. M. Andwari, T. Megaritis, and A. Pesyridis. 2021. “Numerical investigation of an RCCI engine fueled with natural gas/dimethyl-ether in various injection strategies.” Energies 14 (6): 1638. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061638.
Google Scholar
Gonzalez, D.M. A., Z. Lian, and R. Reitz. 1992. Modeling diesel engine spray vaporization and combustion. Warrendale, PA: SAE International. https://doi.org/10.4271/920579.
Google Scholar
Han, Z., and R. D. Reitz. 1995. “Turbulence modeling of internal combustion engines using RNG κ-ε models.” Combust. Sci. Technol. 106 (4–6): 267–295. https://doi.org/10.1080/00102209508907782.
Google Scholar
Hariharan, D., S. R. Krishnan, K. K. Srinivasan, and A. Sohail. 2021. “Multiple injection strategies for reducing HC and CO emissions in diesel-methane dual-fuel low temperature combustion.” Fuel 305 (Dec): 121372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121372.
Google Scholar
Heywood, J. B. 2018. Internal combustion engine fundamentals. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Google Scholar
Huang, H.-W., and Y. Zhang. 2008. “Flame colour characterization in the visible and infrared spectrum using a digital camera and image processing.” Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (8): 085406. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/19/8/085406.
Google Scholar
Kamei, W., N. Sahoo, and V. V. D. N. Prasad. 2021. “Investigation of engine performance and combustion and use of oxidation catalysts in an LPG-diesel dual-fuel engine.” J. Energy Eng. 147 (6): 04021055. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EY.1943-7897.0000802.
Google Scholar
Kim, W., C. Park, and C. Bae. 2021. “Characterization of combustion process and emissions in a natural gas/diesel dual-fuel compression-ignition engine.” Fuel 291 (May): 120043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.120043.
Google Scholar
Kosmadakis, G. M., D. C. Rakopoulos, and C. D. Rakopoulos. 2023. “Effect of two mechanisms contributing to the cyclic variability of a methane–hydrogen-fueled spark-ignition engine by using a fast CFD methodology.” J. Energy Eng. 149 (1): 04022058. https://doi.org/10.1061/JLEED9.EYENG-4620.
Google Scholar
Lee, C.-F., Y. Pang, H. Wu, K. Nithyanandan, and F. Liu. 2020. “An optical investigation of substitution rates on natural gas/diesel dual-fuel combustion in a diesel engine.” Appl. Energy 261 (Mar): 114455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.114455.
Google Scholar
Liu, J., Y. Liu, Q. Ji, P. Sun, X. Zhang, X. Wang, and H. Ma. 2023. “Effects of split injection strategy on combustion stability and GHG emissions characteristics of natural gas/diesel RCCI engine under high load.” Energy 266 (Mar): 126542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2022.126542.
Google Scholar
Liu, J., F. Yang, H. Wang, M. Ouyang, and S. Hao. 2013. “Effects of pilot fuel quantity on the emissions characteristics of a CNG/diesel dual fuel engine with optimized pilot injection timing.” Appl. Energy 110 (Oct): 201–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.03.024.
Google Scholar
Mehra, R. K., H. Duan, R. Juknelevičius, F. Ma, and J. Li. 2017. “Progress in hydrogen enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) internal combustion engines—A comprehensive review.” Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev. 80 (Dec): 1458–1498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.061.
Google Scholar
Muralidharan, M., A. Srivastava, and M. Subramanian. 2019. A technical review on performance and emissions of compressed natural gas-diesel dual fuel engine. Warrendale, PA: SAE International. https://doi.org/10.4271/2019-28-2390.
Google Scholar
Otsu, N. 1979. “A threshold selection method from gray-level histograms.” IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. 9 (1): 62–66. https://doi.org/10.1109/TSMC.1979.4310076.
Google Scholar
Park, H., E. Shim, J. Lee, S. Oh, C. Kim, Y. Lee, and K. Kang. 2023. “Comparative evaluation of conventional dual fuel, early pilot, and reactivity-controlled compression ignition modes in a natural gas-diesel dual-fuel engine.” Energy 268 (Apr): 126769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.126769.
Google Scholar
Peters, N. 1988. “Laminar flamelet concepts in turbulent combustion.” Symp. (Int.) Combust. 21 (1): 1231–1250. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0082-0784(88)80355-2.
Google Scholar
Poinsot, T., and D. Veynante. 2005. Theoretical and numerical combustion, 1–522. Philadeplhia: RT Edwards.
Google Scholar
Poorghasemi, K., R. K. Saray, E. Ansari, B. K. Irdmousa, M. Shahbakhti, and J. D. Naber. 2017. “Effect of diesel injection strategies on natural gas/diesel RCCI combustion characteristics in a light duty diesel engine.” Appl. Energy 199 (Aug): 430–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.05.011.
Google Scholar
Post, S. L., and J. Abraham. 2002. “Modeling the outcome of drop–drop collisions in diesel sprays.” Int. J. Multiphase Flow 28 (6): 997–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-9322(02)00007-1.
Google Scholar
Rakopoulos, D. C., C. D. Rakopoulos, E. G. Giakoumis, and R. G. Papagiannakis. 2018. “Evaluating oxygenated fuel’s influence on combustion and emissions in diesel engines using a two-zone combustion model.” J. Energy Eng. 144 (4): 04018046. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EY.1943-7897.0000556.
Google Scholar
Rakopoulos, D. C., C. D. Rakopoulos, G. M. Kosmadakis, and E. G. Giakoumis. 2020. “Exergy assessment of combustion and EGR and load effects in DI diesel engine using comprehensive two-zone modeling.” Energy 202 (Jul): 117685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117685.
Google Scholar
Rakopoulos, D. C., C. D. Rakopoulos, G. M. Kosmadakis, and G. C. Mavropoulos. 2024. “Assessing the cyclic variability of combustion and NO emissions in hydrogen-methane fueled HSSI engine via quasi-dimensional modeling under the influence of flame-kernel turbulence and equivalence ratio variation mechanisms.” Energy 288 (Feb): 129813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.129813.
Google Scholar
Ramachander, J., S. K. Gugulothu, G. R. Sastry, and M. S. Surya. 2021. “Statistical and experimental investigation of the influence of fuel injection strategies on CRDI engine assisted CNG dual fuel diesel engine.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 46 (42): 22149–22164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.04.010.
Google Scholar
Rochussen, J., G. McTaggart-Cowan, and P. Kirchen. 2020. “Parametric study of pilot-ignited direct-injection natural gas combustion in an optically accessible heavy-duty engine.” Int. J. Engine Res. 21 (3): 497–513. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087419836877.
Google Scholar
Schmidt, D. P., and C. J. Rutland. 2000. “A new droplet collision algorithm.” J. Comput. Phys. 164 (1): 62–80. https://doi.org/10.1006/jcph.2000.6568.
Google Scholar
Sjöberg, M., and J. E. Dec. 2005. “An investigation into lowest acceptable combustion temperatures for hydrocarbon fuels in HCCI engines.” Proc. Combust. Inst. 30 (2): 2719–2726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proci.2004.08.132.
Google Scholar
Smith, A. R. 1978. “Color gamut transform pairs.” In Proc., 5th Annual Conf. on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, 12–19. New York: Association for Computing Machinery.
Google Scholar
Su, X., H. Chen, J. He, Z. Chen, and H. Liu. 2021. “Combustion and emission in a common rail diesel engine fueled by diesel, palm oil, gasoline, and ethanol blends under double-injection strategy.” J. Energy Eng. 147 (6): 04021043. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EY.1943-7897.0000793.
Google Scholar
Tian, J., Z. Cui, Y. Wang, S. Yin, and D. Shu. 2023. “Optical study on the effects of methane equivalence ratio and diesel injection mass on diesel-ignited methane combustion process.” Processes 11 (12): 3383. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11123383.
Google Scholar
Tian, J., X. Zhang, Z. Cui, M. Ye, Y. Wang, T. Xu, and P. Dong. 2024. “Visualization study on ammonia/diesel dual direct injection combustion characteristics and interaction between sprays.” Energy Convers. Manage. 299 (Jan): 117857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2023.117857.
Google Scholar
Turns, S. R., and C. H. Daniel. 2020. An introduction to combustion: Concepts and applications. 4th ed. New York: McGraw Hill Companies.
Google Scholar
Wang, B., A. Yao, C. Yao, C. Chen, and H. Wang. 2020. “In-depth comparison between pure diesel and diesel methanol dual fuel combustion mode.” Appl. Energy 278 (Nov): 115664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115664.
Google Scholar
Wei, F., P. Wang, J. Cao, W. Long, D. Dong, H. Tian, J. Tian, X. Zhang, and M. Lu. 2023. “Visualization investigation of jet ignition ammonia-methanol by an ignition chamber fueled H2.” Fuel 349 (Oct): 128658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128658.
Google Scholar
Wei, L., and P. Geng. 2016. “A review on natural gas/diesel dual fuel combustion, emissions and performance.” Fuel Process. Technol. 142 (Feb): 264–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2015.09.018.
Google Scholar
Wu, Z., and Z. Han. 2020. “Micro-GA optimization analysis of the effect of diesel injection strategy on natural gas-diesel dual-fuel combustion.” Fuel 259 (Jan): 116288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.116288.
Google Scholar
Yang, B., and K. Zeng. 2018. “Effects of natural gas injection timing and split pilot fuel injection strategy on the combustion performance and emissions in a dual-fuel engine fueled with diesel and natural gas.” Energy Convers. Manage. 168 (Jul): 162–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2018.04.091.
Google Scholar
Yousefi, A., H. Guo, and M. Birouk. 2018. “An experimental and numerical study on diesel injection split of a natural gas/diesel dual-fuel engine at a low engine load.” Fuel 212 (Jan): 332–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.10.053.
Google Scholar
Zheng, J., X. Wang, L. Sun, Y. Di, and X. Miao. 2023. “Impact of diesel nozzle with micro-orifice on performance and emission characteristics of diesel-fuel and natural-gas compression-ignition engine.” J. Energy Eng. 149 (6): 04023050. https://doi.org/10.1061/JLEED9.EYENG-5106.
Google Scholar
Zhu, Z., Y. Li, and C. Shi. 2022. “Effect of natural gas energy fractions on combustion performance and emission characteristics in an optical CI engine fueled with natural gas/diesel dual-fuel.” Fuel 307 (Jan): 121842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121842.
Google Scholar

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Energy Engineering
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 5 • October 2024

Copyright

© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.

History

Received: Apr 4, 2024
Accepted: May 21, 2024
Published online: Aug 6, 2024
Published in print: Oct 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 6, 2025

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

ASCE Technical Topics:

  1. Analysis (by type)
  2. Chemical processes
  3. Chemicals
  4. Chemistry
  5. Combustion
  6. Disaster risk management
  7. Disasters and hazards
  8. Energy consumption
  9. Energy engineering
  10. Energy sources (by type)
  11. Engineering fundamentals
  12. Environmental engineering
  13. Fires
  14. Fuels
  15. Man-made disasters
  16. Methane
  17. Non-renewable energy
  18. Numerical analysis
  19. Organic compounds
  20. Organic compounds
  21. Petroleum
  22. Pollutants

Authors

Affiliations

Longlong Jiang [email protected]
Ph.D. Candidate, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Wuqiang Long [email protected]
Professor, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Hua Tian https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2939-5168 [email protected]
Professor, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2939-5168. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Jiangping Tian [email protected]
Professor, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Zechuan Cui [email protected]
Ph.D. Candidate, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Yang Wang [email protected]
Postdoctoral Scholar, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China (corresponding author). Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Ge Xiao https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8927-4794 [email protected]
Postdoctoral Scholar, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8927-4794. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Xiangyu Meng [email protected]
Associate Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Peng Wang [email protected]
Ph.D. Candidate, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author
Mingfei Lu [email protected]
Ph.D. Candidate, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China. Email: [email protected]
View all articles by this author

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share