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At least 865 records · Page 48

Performance Characterization of a Natural Gas-Air Rotating Detonation Engine at Elevated Pressure

Performance of a rotating detonation engine was studied to understand the challenges of achieving and quantifying a net pressure gain at engine-relevant conditions. The combustor under study was designed for operation with natural gas and air at elevated chamber pressures and air preheat temperatures representative of land based power generation gas turbine engines. The thrust produced by the combustor was measured to characterize its performance while high-frequency pressure transducers and high speed imaging of broadband combustion chemiluminescence provided information about the wave structure and dynamics. The rotating detonation engine was tested with two injector configurations to explore the effect of injector design and combustor operating mode on device performance. Analysis using multiple metrics showed nearly identical performance between similar operating conditions that alternately produced a single detonation wave or two counter-propagating waves in the combustion chamber. Across the range of tested conditions, a maximum pressure gain of -42% was measured. Several tests were observed to produce up to 10% more thrust than an ideal, constant pressure combustor, though this comparison ignores injection losses. Comparison of measured pressure gain with idealized simulations showed that the net pressure gain of a rotating detonation engine is closely tied to the area ratio between the inlet and outlet of the combustor.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Experimental Measurements of NOx Emissions in a Rotating Detonation Engine

An experimental study of NOx emissions in a rotating detonation engine is presented in this paper. Rotating detonation engines produce a pressure gain in the combustion process which leads to increased efficiency compared to conventional constant pressure, deflagration based combustion. However, in order for rotating detonation engines to become a viable alternative to conventional combustion, they must meet NOx emissions regulations. Emissions from rotating detonation engines are not currently well understood. A parametric study was performed to determine time averaged NOx emissions in a rotating detonation engine over a range of operating conditions. The effects of inlet pre-heat, equivalence ratio, flow rate, and fuel composition are investigated.

Ferguson, Donald↗

Advances in S. cerevisiae Engineering for Xylose Fermentation and Biofuel Production: Balancing Growth, Metabolism, and Defense

Genetically engineering microorganisms to produce chemicals has changed the industrialized world. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is frequently used in industry due to its genetic tractability and unique metabolic capabilities. S. cerevisiae has been engineered to produce novel compounds from diverse sugars found in lignocellulosic biomass, including pentose sugars, like xylose, not recognized by the organism. Engineering high flux toward novel compounds has proved to be more challenging than anticipated since simply introducing pathway components is often not enough. Several studies show that the rewiring of upstream signaling is required to direct products toward pathways of interest, but doing so can diminish stress tolerance, which is important in industrial conditions. As an example of these challenges, we reviewed S. cerevisiae engineering efforts, enabling anaerobic xylose fermentation as a model system and showcasing the regulatory interplay’s controlling growth, metabolism, and stress defense. Enabling xylose fermentation in S. cerevisiae requires the introduction of several key metabolic enzymes but also regulatory rewiring of three signaling pathways at the intersection of the growth and stress defense responses: the RAS/PKA, Snf1, and high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathways. The current studies reviewed here suggest the modulation of global signaling pathways should be adopted into biorefinery microbial engineering pipelines to increase efficient product yields.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Opportunities and Challenges with Polyalkylene Glycol for Engine Oil Application

Base oil plays an important role in engine oil formulation in delivering overall performance attributes in addition to additives. Non-traditional base oil like polyalkylene glycol (PAG) did not get much attention in the past for formulating automotive engine oil. This investigation explored PAGs for enhancing engine oil performance primarily for fuel economy benefit over traditional mineral oil-based formulations. This paper highlights key findings from an extensive investigation, parts of which were published in detail elsewhere, and identifying opportunities and challenges. Several PAG chemistries were investigated depending on their feedstock material. Friction performance was evaluated by several methods starting with laboratory bench tests to engine components to chassis roll dynamometer tests. Durability was also evaluated from laboratory bench tests to engine components to ASTM sequence tests. The investigation revealed that significant friction reduction or fuel economy gain can be achieved with PAG oil but wear protection capability, piston deposit, and varnish require much improvement requiring identification/development of additive components. A few alternative routes for performance improvement are suggested.

Gangopadhyay, Arup↗

Experimental investigation of a DISI production engine fuelled with methanol, ethanol, butanol, and iso-stoichiometric alcohol blends

Stricter CO2 and emissions regulations are pushing spark ignition engines more and more towards downsizing, enabled through direct injection and turbocharging. The advantages which come with direct injection, such as increased charge density and an elevated knock resistance, are even more pronounced when using low carbon number alcohols instead of gasoline. This is mainly due to the higher heat of vaporization and the lower air-to-fuel ratio of light alcohols such as methanol, ethanol and butanol. These alcohols are also attractive alternatives to gasoline because they can be produced from renewable resources. Because they are liquid, they can be easily stored in a vehicle. In this respect, the performance and engine-out emissions (NOx, CO, HC and PM) of methanol, ethanol and butanol were examined on a 4 cylinder 2.4 DI production engine and are compared with those on neat gasoline. Additionally, measurements were done for E85 and a methanol-gasoline blend with the same air-to-fuel ratio as E85 because this ‘iso-stoichiometric’ methanol-gasoline blend shows very few differences in physical properties to E85 and has the potential to be used as ‘drop-in’ fuel for flex-fuel vehicles. It is shown that the brake thermal efficiency when running on alcohol fuels is significantly better than with gasoline while emitting fewer emissions. In a knock limited case for gasoline, the brake thermal efficiency on methanol was more than 5 percentage points better than on gasoline. The engine test results also confirm that, from an engine control point of view, the ‘iso-stoichiometric’ methanol-gasoline blend can indeed be used as a ‘drop-in’ fuel for E85.

Sileghem, Louis↗

Impact of Effective Compression Ratio on Gasoline-Diesel Dual-Fuel Combustion in a Heavy-Duty Engine Using Variable Valve Actuation

Dual-fuel combustion using port-injected gasoline with a direct diesel injection has been shown to achieve low-temperature combustion with moderate peak pressure rise rates, low engine-out soot and NOx emissions, and high indicated thermal efficiency. A key requirement for extending high-load operation is moderating the reactivity of the premixed charge prior to the diesel injection. Reducing compression ratio, in conjunction with a higher expansion ratio using alternative valve timings, decreases compressed charge reactivity while maintain a high expansion ratio for maximum work extraction. Experimental testing was conducted on a 13L multi-cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine modified to operate dual-fuel combustion with port gasoline injection to supplement the direct diesel injection. The engine employs intake variable valve actuation (VVA) for early (EIVC) or late (LIVC) intake valve closing to yield reduced effective compression ratio. Testing was conducted at a mid-load operating condition using a gasoline-diesel dual-fuel operating strategy. The impact on dual-fuel engine performance and emissions with respect to varying effective compression ratio is quantified within this study. As effective compression ratio is reduced, overall massflow through the engine decreases, yielding both higher gas exchange efficiencies and increased heat transfer losses. With constant combustion phasing gasoline/diesel fueling fraction, and NOx emissions held constant, overall brake thermal efficiency remains relatively constant across effective compression ratios.

Ickes, Andrew↗

Effects of Ignition and Injection Perturbation under Lean and Dilute GDI Engine Operation

Turbocharged gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines are quickly becoming more prominent in light-duty automotive applications because of their potential improvements in efficiency and fuel economy. While EGR dilute and lean operation serve as potential pathways to further improve efficiencies and emissions in GDI engines, they also pose challenges for stable engine operation. Tests were performed on a single-cylinder research engine that is representative of current automotive-style GDI engines. Baseline cases were performed under steady-state operating conditions where combustion phasing and dilution were varied to determine the effects on indicated efficiency and combustion stability. Sensitivity studies were then carried out by introducing binary low-high perturbation of spark timing and injection duration on a cycle-by-cycle basis under EGR dilute and lean operation to determine dominant feedback mechanisms. Ignition perturbation was phased early/late of MBT timing, and injection perturbation was set fuel rich/lean of the given air-fuel ratio. COVIMEP was used to define acceptable operation limits when comparing different perturbation cases. Overall results suggests that combustion phasing is very important for dilute operation while the impact of perturbation is reduced due to increased burn duration compared to the stoichiometric baseline without EGR. Lean operation was found to be very sensitive to injection perturbation, with the effect of perturbations amplified by next-cycle feedback. Due to the longer timescale EGR operation was shown to be less sensitive to next-cycle changes in fueling.

Wallner, Thomas↗

Influence of Compression Ratio on High Load Performance and Knock Behavior for Gasoline Port-Fuel Injection, Natural Gas Direct Injection and Blended Operation in a Spark Ignition Engine

Natural Gas (NG) is an alternative fuel which has attracted a lot of attention recently, in particular in the US due to shale gas availability. The higher hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C) ratio, compared to gasoline, allows for decreasing carbon dioxide emissions throughout the entire engine map. Furthermore, the high knock resistance of NG allows increasing the efficiency at high engine loads compared to fuels with lower knock resistance. NG direct injection (DI) allows for fuel to be added after intake valve closing (IVC) resulting in an increase in power density compared to an injection before IVC. Steady-state engine tests were performed on a single-cylinder research engine equipped with gasoline (E10) port-fuel injection (PFI) and NG DI to allow for in-cylinder blending of both fuels. Knock investigations were performed at two discrete compression ratios (CR), 10.5 and 12.5. Operating conditions span mid-load, wide-open-throttle and boosted conditions, depending on the knock response of the fuel blend. Blended operation was performed using E10 gasoline and NG. An additional gasoline type fuel (E85) with higher knock resistance than E10 was used as a high-octane reference fuel, since the octane rating of E10-NG fuel blends is unknown. Spark timing was varied at different loads under stoichiometric conditions in order to study the knock response as well as the effects on performance and efficiency. As anticipated, results suggest that the knock resistance can be increased significantly by increasing the NG amount. Comparing the engine operation with the least knock resistant fuel, E10 PFI, and the fuel blend with the highest knock resistance, 75% NG DI, shows an increase in indicated mean effective pressure of about 9 bar at CR 12.5. The usage of reference fuels with known knock characteristics allowed an assessment of knock characteristic of intermediate E10-NG blend levels. Mathematical correlations were developed allowing characterizing the occurrence of knocking combustion by using the Livengood-Wu knock integral. For most of the fueling strategies and operating conditions, the mathematical correlations show good agreement when compared to experimental data.

combustion↗

Large-eddy Simulations of Spray Variability Effects on Flow Variability in a Direct-injection Spark-ignition Engine Under Non-combusting Operating Conditions

Large-eddy Simulations (LES) have been carried out to investigate spray variability and its effect on cycle-to-cycle flow variability in a direct-injection spark-ignition (DISI) engine under non-reacting conditions. Initial simulations were performed of an injector in a constant volume spray chamber to validate the simulation spray set-up. Comparisons showed good agreement in global spray measures such as the penetration. Local mixing data and shot-to-shot variability were also compared using Rayleigh-scattering images and probability contours. The simulations were found to reasonably match the local mixing data and shot-to-shot variability using a random-seed perturbation methodology. After validation, the same spray set-up with only minor changes was used to simulate the same injector in an optically accessible DISI engine. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements were used to quantify the flow velocity in a horizontal plane intersecting the spark plug gap. The engine was operated in a skip-fired operating mode and comparisons focused on cycles that included fuel injection, but no spark event and therefore no combustion. 105 total LES engine cycles were simulated using a parallel cycle simulation approach and 3 different perturbation methods in an attempt to isolate the effects of shot-to-shot spray variability and the initial turbulent flow field as well as their interaction effects on overall engine CCVs. The experimental mean and standard deviations were reasonably well matched by the simulations, though quantitative comparisons near the injection event during the intake stroke were difficult due to the high uncertainty in the PIV measurements at these crank angles. The 3 simulation perturbation methods resulted in very similar results, though further analysis found the current parallel cycle approach may be limiting the ability of the simulations to isolate the spray and flow effects.

Cycle-to-cycle Variability↗

Effects of NOX Storage Component on Ammonia Formation in TWC for Passive SCR NOX Control in Lean Gasoline Engines

A prototype three-way catalyst (TWC) with NOX storage component was evaluated for ammonia (NH3) generation on a 2.0-liter BMW lean burn gasoline direct injection engine as a component in a passive ammonia selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The passive NH3 SCR system is a potential approach for controlling nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions from lean burn gasoline engines. In this system, NH3 is generated over a close-coupled TWC during periodic slightly-rich engine operation and subsequently stored on an underfloor SCR catalyst. Upon switching to lean, NOX passes through the TWC and is reduced by the stored NH3 on the SCR catalyst. Adding a NOX storage component to a TWC provides two benefits in the context of a passive SCR system: (1) enabling longer lean operation by storing NOX upstream and preserving NH3 inventory on the downstream SCR catalyst; and (2) increasing the quantity and rate of NH3 production during rich operation. Since the fuel penalty associated with passive SCR NOX control depends on the fraction of time that the engine is running rich rather than lean, both benefits (longer lean times and shorter rich times achieved via improved NH3 production) will decrease the passive SCR fuel penalty. However, these benefits are primarily realized at low to moderate temperatures (300-500 °C), where the NOX storage component is able to store NOX, with little to no benefit at higher temperatures (>500 °C), where NOX storage is no longer effective. This study discusses engine parameters and control strategies affecting the NH3 generation over a TWC with NOX storage component.

Prikhodko, Vitaly↗

Design and Development of a High-Efficiency Single Cylinder Natural Gas-Fueled Jet Ignition Engine

The current energy climate has created a push toward reducing consumption of fossil fuels and lowering emissions output in power generation applications. Combined with the desire for a more distributed energy grid, there is currently a need for small displacement, high efficiency engines for use in stationary power generation. An enabling technology for achieving high efficiencies with spark ignited engines for such applications is the use of jet ignition which enables ultra-lean (λ > ~1.6) combustion via air dilution.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the development of a 390cc, high efficiency single cylinder natural gas-fueled jet ignition engine operating ultra-lean. The engine was developed as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (DOE ARPA-E) GENSETS program. Design choices for minimizing friction are highlighted as well as test results showing further friction reduction through downspeeding. Extensive hardware optimization of the combustion system has been performed and results are presented for air-flow path optimization and the jet igniter. The efficiency benefits related to enleanment and downspeeding are analyzed using an efficiency loss breakdown based on the First Law of Thermodynamics. Through optimization efforts a peak brake thermal efficiency in excess of 34% was achieved, representing an increase of greater than 20% over the current state-of-the-industry for comparably sized CNG engines.

Peters, Nathan↗

Performance, Combustion and Emissions Evaluation of Liquid Phase Port-Injected LPG on a Single Cylinder Heavy-Duty Spark Ignited Engine

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), like many other alternative fuels, has witnessed increased adoption in the last decade, and its use is projected to rise as stricter emissions regulations continue to be applied. However, much of its use is limited to dual fuel applications, gaseous phase injection, light-duty passenger vehicle applications, or scenarios that require conversion from gasoline engines. Therefore, to address these limitations and discover the most efficient means of harnessing its full potential, more research is required in the development of optimized fuel injection equipment for liquid port and direct injection, along with the implementation of advanced combustion strategies that will improve its thermal efficiency to the levels of conventional fuels. This paper focuses on the development of a liquid phase port-injection system for LPG, the design of a reference piston, and the baseline evaluation of the performance, combustion, and emissions characteristics of a single cylinder research engine to establish a benchmark comparable to existing LPG engines. A sweep of start of injection (SOI) timing is performed by injecting liquid LPG at several closed and open intake valve timings, which demonstrates no significant variation in engine performance, but accounts for a 10% reduction in bsCO with the optimal SOI timing. Spark timing sweep demonstrates the 50% burn crank angle location related to maximum brake torque (MBT) point with a brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of ~34% for the tested load case. The effect of equivalence ratio is also presented with optimal SOI timing at MBT condition. The engine starts exhibiting knocking combustion at 140kPa intake manifold air pressure (IMAP) with a peak torque of 253Nm and a 5% reduction in brake specific fuel consumption compared to the naturally aspirated scenario.

Fosudo, Toluwalase↗

Using an operator training simulator in the undergraduate chemical engineering curriculim

An operator training simulator (OTS) is to the chemical engineer what a flight simulator is to the aerospace engineer. The basis of an OTS is a high-fidelity dynamic model of a chemical process that allows an engineer to simulate start-up, shut-down, and normal operation. It can also be used to test the skill and ability of an engineer or operator to respond and control some unforeseen situation(s) through the use of programmed malfunctions. West Virginia University (WVU) is a member of the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Regional University Alliance (NETL-RUA). Working through the NETL-RUA, the authors have spent the last four years collaborating on the development of a high-fidelity OTS for an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant with CO{sub 2} capture that is the cornerstone of the AVESTARTM (Advanced Virtual Energy Simulation Training And Research) Center with sister facilities at NETL and WVU in Morgantown, WV. This OTS is capable of real-time dynamic simulation of IGCC plant operation, including start-up, shut-down, and power demand load following. The dynamic simulator and its human machine interfaces (HMIs) are based on the DYNSIM and InTouch software, respectively, from Invensys Operations Management. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the authors’ experiences in using this sophisticated dynamic simulation-based OTS as a hands-on teaching tool in the undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum. At present, the OTS has been used in two separate courses: a new process simulation course and a traditional process control course. In the process simulation course, concepts of steady-state and dynamic simulations were covered prior to exposing the students to the OTS. Moreover, digital logic and the concept of equipment requiring one or more permissive states to be enabled prior to successful operation were also covered. Students were briefed about start-up procedures and the importance of following a predetermined sequence of actions in order to start-up the plant successfully. Student experience with the dynamic simulator consisted of a six-hour training session in which the Claus sulfur capture unit of the IGCC plant was started up. The students were able to operate the simulator through the InTouch-based HMI displays and study and understand the underlying dynamic modeling approach used in the DYNSIM-based simulator. The concepts learned during the training sessions were further reinforced when students developed their own DYNSIM models for a chemical process and wrote a detailed start-up procedure. In the process control course, students learned how the plant responds dynamically to changes in the manipulated inputs, as well as how the control system impacts plant performance, stability, robustness and disturbance rejection characteristics. The OTS provided the opportunity to study the dynamics of complicated, “real-life” process plants consisting of hundreds of pieces of equipment. Students implemented ideal forcing functions, tracked the time-delay through the entire plant, studied the response of open-loop unstable systems, and learned “good practices” in control system design by taking into account the real-world events where significant deviations from the “ideal” or “expected” response can occur. The theory of closed-loop stability was reinforced by implementing limiting proportional gain for stability limits of real plants. Finally, students were divided into several groups where each group was tasked to control a section of the plant within a set of operating limits in the face of disturbances and simulated process faults. At the end of this test, they suggested ways to improve the control system performance based on the theory they learned in class and the hands-on experience they earned while working on the OTS.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Perspective on the Future of High Efficiency Engines

New fuel economy standards and emissions regulations are accelerating the development of new engine technologies, sensors, and on-board computing. These developments will enable unprecedented engine control, which will in turn enable real-world implementations of low temperature combustion, high-speed controls, and other high efficiency engine technologies. With this expanded flexibility in engine design and control, the challenge will now be the exponential increase in the design and calibration space and the need for the development of new simulations, optimization methods, and self-learning control methodologies. This manuscript provides historical and future perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of this unparalleled technology growth on the next generation of high efficiency engines.

Wagner, Robert M↗

Analysis of Cyclic Variability of Heat Release for High-EGR GDI Engine Operation with Observations on Implications for Effective Control

Operation of spark-ignition (SI) engines with high levels of charge dilution through exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) achieves significant engine efficiency gains while maintaining stoichiometric operation for compatibility with three-way catalysts. Dilution levels, however, are limited by cyclic variability-including significant numbers of misfires-that becomes more pronounced with increasing dilution. This variability has been shown to have both stochastic and deterministic components. Stochastic effects include turbulence, mixing variations, and the like, while the deterministic effect is primarily due to the nonlinear dependence of flame propagation rates and ignition characteristics on the charge composition, which is influenced by the composition of residual gases from prior cycles. The presence of determinism implies that an increased understanding the dynamics of such systems could lead to effective control approaches that allow operation near the edge of stability, effectively extending the dilution limit. This nonlinear dependence has been characterized previously for homogeneous charge, port fuel-injected (PFI) SI engines operating fuel-lean as well as with inert diluents such as bottled N2 gas. In this paper, cyclic dispersion in a modern boosted gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine using a cooled external EGR loop is examined, and the potential for improvement with effective control is evaluated through the use of symbol sequence statistics and other techniques from chaos theory. Observations related to the potential implications of these results for control approaches that could effectively enable engine operation at the edge of combustion stability are noted.

Kaul, Brian C↗

Novel Characterization of GDI Engine Exhaust for Gasoline and Mid-Level Gasoline-Alcohol Blends

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines can offer improved fuel economy and higher performance over their port fuel-injected (PFI) counterparts, and are now appearing in increasingly more U.S. and European vehicles. Small displacement, turbocharged GDI engines are replacing large displacement engines, particularly in light-duty trucks and sport utility vehicles, in order for manufacturers to meet more stringent fuel economy standards. GDI engines typically emit the most particulate matter (PM) during periods of rich operation such as start-up and acceleration, and emissions of air toxics are also more likely during this condition. A 2.0 L GDI engine was operated at lambda of 0.91 at typical loads for acceleration (2600 rpm, 8 bar BMEP) on three different fuels; an 87 anti-knock index (AKI) gasoline (E0), 30% ethanol blended with the 87 AKI fuel (E30), and 48% isobutanol blended with the 87 AKI fuel. E30 was chosen to maximize octane enhancement while minimizing ethanol-blend level and iBu48 was chosen to match the same fuel oxygen level as E30. Particle size and number, organic carbon and elemental carbon (OC/EC), soot HC speciation, and aldehydes and ketones were all analyzed during the experiment. A new method for soot HC speciation is introduced using a direct, thermal desorption/pyrolysis inlet for the gas chromatograph (GC). Results showed high levels of aromatic compounds were present in the PM, including downstream of the catalyst, and the aldehydes were dominated by the alcohol blending.

gasoline direct injection↗

Engineered microbes and methods for microbial oil production

Some aspects of this invention provide engineered microbes for oil production. Methods for microbe engineering and for use of engineered microbes are also provided herein. In some embodiments, microbes are provided that are engineered to modulate a combination of rate-controlling steps of lipid synthesis, for example, a combination of a step generating metabolites, acetyl-CoA, ATP or NADPH for lipid synthesis (a push step), and a step sequestering a product or an intermediate of a lipid synthesis pathway that mediates feedback inhibition of lipid synthesis (a pull step). Such push-and-pull engineered microbes exhibit greatly enhanced conversion yields and TAG synthesis and storage properties.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels

An apparatus and method for utilizing any arbitrary mixture ratio of multiple fuel gases having differing combustion characteristics, such as natural gas and hydrogen gas, within an internal combustion engine. The gaseous fuel composition ratio is first sensed, such as by thermal conductivity, infrared signature, sound propagation speed, or equivalent mixture differentiation mechanisms and combinations thereof which are utilized as input(s) to a "multiple map" engine control module which modulates selected operating parameters of the engine, such as fuel injection and ignition timing, in response to the proportions of fuel gases available so that the engine operates correctly and at high efficiency irrespective of the gas mixture ratio being utilized. As a result, an engine configured according to the teachings of the present invention may be fueled from at least two different fuel sources without admixing constraints.

03 NATURAL GAS↗