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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Effects of Fuel Laminar Flame Speed Compared to Engine Tumble Ratio, Ignition Energy, and Injection Strategy on Lean and EGR Dilute Spark Ignition Combustion

Previously we show that fuels with higher laminar flame speed also have increased tolerance to EGR dilution. In this work, the effects of fuel laminar flame speed on both lean and EGR dilute spark ignition combustion stability were examined. Fuels blends of pure components (iso-octane, n-heptane, toluene, ethanol, and methanol) were derived at two levels of laminar flame speed. Each fuel blend was tested in a single-cylinder spark-ignition engine under both lean-out and EGR dilution sweeps until the coefficient of variance of indicated mean effective pressure increased above thresholds of 3% and 5%. The relative importance of fuel laminar flame speed to changes to engine design parameters (spark ignition energy, tumble ratio, and port vs. direct injection) was also assessed. Our results showed that fuel laminar flame speed can have as big an effect on lean or EGR dilute engine operation as engine design parameters, with the largest effects seen during EGR dilute operation and when changes were made to cylinder charge motion.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Early-time radiation flux symmetry optimization and its effect on gas-filled hohlraum ignition targets on the National Ignition Facility

Achieving ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is tied to our ability to control and minimize deviations from sphericity of the capsule implosion. Low-mode asymmetries of the hot spot result from the combined effect of radiation drive asymmetries throughout the laser pulse and initial roughness on the capsule surface. In this paper, we report on simulations and experiments designed to assess, measure, and correct the drive asymmetries produced by the early-time (≈first 2 ns or “picket”) period of the laser pulse. The drive asymmetry during the picket is commonly thought to introduce distortions in the hot-spot shape at ignition time. However, a more subtle effect not previously considered is that it also leads to an asymmetry in shock velocity and timing, thereby increasing the fuel adiabat and reducing the margin for ignition. It is shown via hydrodynamic simulations that minimizing this effect requires that the early-time asymmetry be kept below 7.5% in the second Legendre mode (P{sub 2}), thus keeping the loss of performance margin below ≈10% for a layered implosion. Asymmetries during the picket of the laser pulse are measured using the instantaneous self-emission of a high-Z re-emission sphere in place of an ignition capsule in a hohlraum with large azimuthal diagnostic windows. Three dimensional simulations using the code HYDRA (to capture the effect of non-azimuthal hohlraum features) coupled to a cross-beam energy transfer model [Michel et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056305 (2010)] are used to establish the surrogacy of the re-emit target and to assess the early-time drive symmetry. Calculations using this model exhibit the same sensitivity to variations in the relative input powers between the different cones of NIF beams as measured for the “Rev5” CH target [Haan et al., Phys Plasmas 18, 051001 (2011)] and reported by Dewald et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 235001 (2013)]. The same methodology applied to recently improved implosions using different hohlraum geometries and picket powers show good agreement with experimental data.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Screening of Potential Biomass-Derived Streams as Fuel Blendstocks for Mixing Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion

Mixing controlled compression ignition or diesel engines are highly efficient and are likely to continue to be the primary means for movement of goods for many years to come. Low-carbon biofuels have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of diesel combustion and could potentially have advantageous properties for combustion such as high cetane number and reduced engine out particle emissions. In this study, we developed a list of potential biomass-derived diesel blendstocks. An online database of properties and characteristics of these bioblendstocks was populated with data. Fuel properties were determined by measurement, model prediction, or literature review. Screening criteria were developed to determine if a bioblendstock met the basic requirements for handling in the diesel distribution system and use as a blend with conventional diesel. Criteria included cetane number =40, flashpoint =52 degrees C, and boiling point or final boiling point <338 degrees C. Blendstocks needed to be soluble in diesel fuel, have a toxicity no worse than conventional diesel, and not be corrosive. Additionally, cloud point or freezing point below 0 degrees C was required. This screening produced a list of 27 potential bioblendstocks. Of these candidates, 13 were available commercially or could be synthesized by biofuels production researchers and included 11 nominally pure components and two mixtures. These 13 candidates were then subjected to further study based on how they impact fuel properties upon blending. Blend properties included cetane number, lubricity, conductivity, oxidation stability and viscosity. Results indicate that all thirteen candidates can meet the basic requirements for diesel fuel blending and are likely to reduce particle emissions from diesel combustion.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Radiation hydrodynamics modeling of the highest compression inertial confinement fusion ignition experiment from the National Ignition Campaign

The recently completed National Ignition Campaign (NIC) on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) showed significant discrepancies between post-shot simulations of implosion performance and experimentally measured performance, particularly in thermonuclear yield. This discrepancy between simulation and observation persisted despite concerted efforts to include all of the known sources of performance degradation within a reasonable two-dimensional (2-D), and even three-dimensional (3-D), simulation model, e.g., using measured surface imperfections and radiation drives adjusted to reproduce observed implosion trajectories [Clark et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 056318 (2013)]. Since the completion of the NIC, several effects have been identified that could explain these discrepancies and that were omitted in previous simulations. In particular, there is now clear evidence for larger than anticipated long-wavelength radiation drive asymmetries and a larger than expected perturbation seeded by the capsule support tent. This paper describes an updated suite of one-dimensional (1-D), 2-D, and 3-D simulations that include the current best understanding of these effects identified since the NIC, as applied to a specific NIC shot. The relative importance of each effect on the experimental observables is compared. In combination, these effects reduce the simulated-to-measured yield ratio from 125:1 in 1-D to 1.5:1 in 3-D, as compared to 15:1 in the best 2-D simulations published previously. While the agreement with the experimental data remains imperfect, the comparison to the data is significantly improved and suggests that the largest sources for the previous discrepancies between simulation and experiment are now being included.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Numerical and Experimental Study of an Aircraft Igniter Plasma Jet Discharge

The spark discharge of an aircraft plasma jet igniter is studied using high-fidelity numerical simulations and X-ray radiography measurements. The target problem here features the thermal expansion of hot gas introduced by the electric spark within a confined igniter cavity, which eventually evolves into a pulsed jet of a high-temperature kernel. A comprehensive set of models adapted from existing strategies for internal combustion engine spark plug discharge is extended to the target problem, including the modeling of energy deposition, plasma reactions, thermodynamic properties, and heat losses. A series of validation and parameter studies are performed and presented. The kernel size is found to be sensitive to heat losses arising from radiation and hot gas remained within the discharge cavity, rather than heat conduction to the wall in the discharge cavity. Depending on the enforced shape of the post-breakdown electric arc, the spark kernel can be off-centered, tilted, and considerably asymmetric. These features have been previously not considered when studying such igniter configurations and may have a first-order impact on the ignition process. Provided a proper setup of the heat loss models and electric arc shape, the numerical results are quantitatively comparable to the experimental results in terms of the kernel size, shape, and velocity throughout different stages after the spark discharge.

Tang, Yihao↗
DOE OSTI2018

On the Interpretation and Correlation of High-Temperature Ignition Delays in Reactors with Varying Thermodynamic Conditions

Ignition delay time (IDT) is a useful global metric for fuel performance screening and a major target for kinetic modeling. Measurements of IDT are conceptually straightforward, however interpretation could be complicated, especially for systems with changing temperature and pressure. Some experimental conditions in the high repetition rate miniature shock tube (HRRST) exhibit complex temperature and pressure state histories. To better interpret and correlate IDTs, especially those obtained in reactors with varying thermodynamic conditions, an inverse Livengood-Wu (L-W) integral technique is applied to de-convolve the constant condition IDTs from measured IDTs in the HRRST using information on the varying state history. In this paper, the approximate problem is demonstrated using only the measured pressure history leading up to ignition, where the temperature history is estimated based on an isentropic assumption. The IDTs of several fuels were first measured in the HRRST including isooctane and acetone to represent those fuels without strong low temperature chemistry effects. Based on the measured pressure and approximated temperature history, measurements of IDTs in the HRRST compare very favorably with those measured using more conventional techniques, including conventionally sized shock tubes, via the inverse L-W correlation with relaxed Newton iteration and Genetic Algorithm (GA). Furthermore, this study demonstrates the feasibility of using a high throughput ignition testing facility, like the HRRST to extract the constant state IDT measured in regular shock tubes, assisted by the inverse L-W correlation. It is expected with an independent temperature measurement available in the future, IDTs in a broader range of thermodynamic conditions and effects of heat loss could be better resolved.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Three Way Catalyst-Selective Catalytic Reduction Aftertreatment System Evaluation for a Lean Burn Gasoline Engine Operating in Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition, Spark-Assisted Compression Ignition, and Spark-Ignited Combustion Modes

Low temperature and dilute homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) and spark-assisted compression ignition (SACI) can improve fuel efficiency and reduce engine-out NO x emissions, especially during lean operation. However, under lean operation, these combustion modes are unable to achieve Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 3 emissions standards without the use of lean aftertreatment. The three way catalyst (TWC)-SCR lean aftertreatment concept investigated in this work uses periodic-rich operation to produce NH 3 over a TWC to be stored on a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst for NO x conversion during subsequent lean operation. Experiments were performed with a modified 2.0 L gasoline engine that was cycled between lean HCCI and rich SACI operation and between lean and rich spark-ignited (SI) combustion to evaluate NO x conversion and fuel efficiency benefits. Different lambda values during rich operation and different times held in rich operation were investigated. Results are compared to a baseline case in which the engine is always operated at stoichiometric conditions. SCR system calculations are also presented to allow for comparisons of system performance for different levels of stored NH 3 . With the configuration used in this study, lean/rich HCCI/SACI operation resulted in a maximum NO x conversion efficiency of only 10%, while lean/rich SI operation resulted in a maximum NO x conversion efficiency of 60%. If the low conversion efficiency of HCCI/SACI operation could be improved through higher brick temperatures or additional SCR bricks, calculations indicate that TWC-SCR aftertreatment has the potential to provide attractive fuel efficiency benefits and near-zero tailpipe NO x . Calculated potential fuel efficiency improvement relative to stoichiometric SI is 7–17% for lean/rich HCCI/SACI with zero tailpipe NO x and -1 to 5% for lean/rich SI with zero tailpipe NO x emissions. Although the previous work indicated that the use of HCCI/SACI increases the time for NH 3 to start forming over the TWC during rich operation, reduces NH 3 production over the TWC per fuel amount, and increases NH 3 slip over the SCR catalyst, if NO x conversion efficiency could be enhanced, improvements in fuel efficiency could be realized while meeting stringent tailpipe NO x standards.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2016

Simulated performance of the optical Thomson scattering diagnostic designed for the National Ignition Facility

An optical Thomson scattering diagnostic has been designed for the National Ignition Facility to characterize under-dense plasmas. We report on the design of the system and the expected performance for different target configurations. The diagnostic is designed to spatially and temporally resolve the Thomson scattered light from laser driven targets. The diagnostic will collect scattered light from a 50 × 50 × 200 μm volume. The optical design allows operation with different probe laser wavelengths. A deep-UV probe beam (λ{sub 0} = 210 nm) will be used to Thomson scatter from electron plasma densities of ∼5 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} while a 3ω probe will be used for plasma densities of ∼1 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}. The diagnostic package contains two spectrometers: the first to resolve Thomson scattering from ion acoustic wave fluctuations and the second to resolve scattering from electron plasma wave fluctuations. Expected signal levels relative to background will be presented for typical target configurations (hohlraums and a planar foil).

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

EVALUATION OF CONTROLLED END GAS AUTO IGNITION WITH EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION IN A STOICHIOMETRIC, SPARK IGNITED, NATURAL GAS ENGINE

Many stationary and heavy-duty on-road natural gas fueled engines today operate under stoichiometric conditions with a three-way catalyst. The disadvantage of stoichiometric natural gas engines compared to lean-burn natural gas and diesel engines is lower efficiency, resulting primarily from lower power density and compression ratio. Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coupled with advanced combustion controls can enable operation with higher compression ratio and power density, which yields higher efficiency. This also results in engine operation between the limits of knock and misfire. Operation between these limits has been named controlled end gas auto-ignition (C-EGAI) and can be used to improve the brake efficiency of the engine. Various methods of cylinder pressure-based knock quantification were explored to implement C-EGAI. The indicated quantification methods are used for the implementation of a control scheme for C-EGAI with a relation to the fractional heat release due to auto-ignition. A custom EGR system was built and the effect of EGR on the performance of a stochiometric, spark ignited, natural gas engine is evaluated. C-EGAI is implemented and the optimal parameters are determined for peak performance under EGR and C-EGAI conditions. In this study, knock detection is used for the recognition, magnitude, and location of the auto-ignition events. Cylinder pressure-based knock detection was the primary method for determining the occurrence and location of knock but was also used for implementing the ignition control scheme for controlled end gas auto-ignition. The combustion intensity metric (CIM) enabled parametric ignition timing control which allowed for the creation of a relationship between fractional heat release due to auto-ignition and CIM. Many stationary and heavy-duty on-road natural gas fueled engines today operate under stoichiometric conditions with a three-way catalyst. The disadvantage of stoichiometric natural gas engines compared to lean-burn natural gas and diesel engines is lower efficiency, resulting primarily from lower power density and compression ratio. Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coupled with advanced combustion controls can enable operation with higher compression ratio and power density, which yields higher efficiency. This also results in engine operation between the limits of knock and misfire. Operation between these limits has been named controlled end gas auto-ignition (C-EGAI) and can be used to improve the brake efficiency of the engine. Various methods of cylinder pressure-based knock quantification were explored to implement C-EGAI. The indicated quantification methods are used for the implementation of a control scheme for C-EGAI with a relation to the fractional heat release due to auto-ignition. A custom EGR system was built and the effect of EGR on the performance of a stochiometric, spark ignited, natural gas engine is evaluated. C-EGAI is implemented and the optimal parameters are determined for peak performance under EGR and C-EGAI conditions. In this study, knock detection is used for the recognition, magnitude, and location of the auto-ignition events. Cylinder pressure-based knock detection was the primary method for determining the occurrence and location of knock but was also used for implementing the ignition control scheme for controlled end gas auto-ignition. The combustion intensity metric (CIM) enabled parametric ignition timing control which allowed for the creation of a relationship between fractional heat release due to auto-ignition and CIM. Both exhaust gas recirculation and controlled end gas auto-ignition were analyzed with a cooperative fuel research (CFR) engine modified for boosted fuel/air intake. The data was interpreted to provide a proper evaluation of unique analytical methods to quantify the results of C_EGAI and characterize the live auto-ignition events. The control variables for this method of C-EGAI were optimized with EGR conditions to generate the point of peak performance on the CFR engine under stoichiometric, spark ignited, natural gas conditions.

Bayliff, Scott Michael↗
DOE OSTI2019

Using Ducted Fuel Injection to Attenuate Soot Formation in a Mixing-Controlled Compression Ignition Engine

Ducted fuel injection (DFI) has been introduced as a strategy to enhance the fuel/charge gas mixing within the combustion chamber of a direct-injection mixing-controlled compression ignition engine. The concept involves injecting each fuel spray through a small tube within the combustion chamber to facilitate the creation of a leaner mixture in the autoignition zone, relative to a conventional free-spray configuration (i.e., a fuel spray that is not surrounded by a duct). While previous experiments demonstrated that DFI lowers both soot incandescence and soot mass in a constant-volume combustion vessel with a single-component normal-alkane fuel (n-dodecane), here we provide the first evidence that the technology provides similar benefits in an engine application using a commercial diesel fuel containing ~30 wt% aromatics. The present study investigates the effects on engine-out emissions and efficiency with a two-orifice injector tip for charge gas mixtures containing 16 and 21 mol% oxygen. The result is that DFI is confirmed to be effective at curtailing engine-out soot emissions. It also breaks the tradeoff between emissions of soot and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by simultaneously attenuating soot and NO x with increasing dilution.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Large eddy simulation of a reacting spray flame with multiple realizations under compression ignition engine conditions

An n-dodecane spray flame (Spray A from Engine Combustion Network) was simulated using a detailed combustion model along with a dynamic structure LES model to evaluate its performance at engine-relevant conditions and understand the transient behavior of this turbulent flame. The liquid spray was treated with a traditional Lagrangian method and the gas-phase reaction was modeled using a detailed combustion model. A 103-species skeletal mechanism was used for the n-dodecane chemical kinetic model. Significantly different flame structures and ignition processes are observed for the LES compared to those of RANS predictions. The LES data suggests that the first ignition initiates in lean mixture and propagates to rich mixture, and the main ignition happens in rich mixture, preferable less than 0.14 in mixture fraction space. LES was observed to have multiple ignition spots in the mixing layer simultaneously while the main ignition initiates in a clearly asymmetric fashion. The temporal flame development also indicates the flame stabilization mechanism is auto-ignition controlled and modulated by flame propagation. Soot predictions by LES present much better agreement with experiments compared to RANS both qualitatively and quantitatively. Multiple realizations for LES were performed to understand the realization to realization variation and to establish best practices for ensemble-averaging diesel spray flames. The relevance index analysis suggests that an average of 2 and 5 realizations can reach 99\% of similarity to the target average of 16 realizations on the temperature and mixture fraction fields, respectively. However, more realizations are necessary for OH and soot mass fraction due to their high fluctuations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

A Multicomponent Blend as a Diesel Fuel Surrogate for Compression Ignition Engine Applications

A mixture of n-dodecane and m-xylene is investigated as a diesel fuel surrogate for compression ignition engine applications. Compared to neat n-dodecane, this binary mixture is more representative of diesel fuel because it contains an alkyl-benzene which represents an important chemical class present in diesel fuels. A detailed multi-component mechanism for n-dodecane and m-xylene was developed by combining a previously developed n-dodecane mechanism with a recently developed mechanism for xylenes. The xylene mechanism is shown to reproduce experimental ignition data from a rapid compression machine and shock tube, speciation data from the jet stirred reactor and flame speed data. This combined mechanism was validated by comparing predictions from the model with experimental data for ignition in shock tubes and for reactivity in a flow reactor. The combined mechanism, consisting of 2885 species and 11754 reactions, was reduced to a skeletal mechanism consisting 163 species and 887 reactions for 3D diesel engine simulations. The mechanism reduction was performed using directed relation graph (DRG) with expert knowledge (DRG-X) and DRG-aided sensitivity analysis (DRGASA) at a fixed fuel composition of 77% of n-dodecane and 23% m-xylene by volume. The sample space for the reduction covered pressure of 1 – 80 bar, equivalence ratio of 0.5 – 2.0, and initial temperature of 700 – 1600 K for ignition. The skeletal mechanism was compared with the detailed mechanism for ignition and flow reactor predictions. Finally, the skeletal mechanism was validated against a spray flame dataset under diesel engine conditions documented on the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) website. These multidimensional simulations were performed using a Representative Interactive Flame (RIF) turbulent combustion model. In conclusion, encouraging results were obtained compared to the experiments with regards to the predictions of ignition delay and lift-off length at different ambient temperatures.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

End-gas autoignition fraction and flame propagation rate in laser-ignited primary reference fuel mixtures at elevated temperature and pressure

Knock in spark-ignited (SI) engines is initiated by autoignition of the unburned gasses upstream of spark-ignited, propagating, turbulent premixed flames. Knock propensity of fuel/air mixtures is typically quantified using research octane number (RON), motor octane number (MON), or methane number (MN; for gaseous fuels), which are measured using single-cylinder, variable compression ratio engines. In this study, knock propensity of SI fuels was quantified via observations of end-gas autoignition (EGAI) in unburned gasses upstream of laser-ignited, premixed flames at elevated pressures and temperatures in a rapid compression machine. Stoichiometric primary reference fuel (PRF; n-heptane/isooctane) blends of varying reactivity (50 ≤ PRF ≤ 100) were ignited using an Nd:YAG laser over a range of temperatures and pressures, all in excess of 545 K and 16.1 bar. Laser ignition produced outwardly-propagating premixed flames. High-speed pressure measurements and schlieren images indicated the presence of EGAI. The fraction of the total heat release attributed to EGAI (i.e., EGAI fraction) varied with fuel reactivity (i.e., octane number) and the time-integrated temperature of the end-gas prior to ignition. Flame propagation rates, which were measured using schlieren images, were only weakly correlated with octane number but were affected by turbulence caused by variation in piston timing. Under conditions of low turbulence, measured flame propagation rates approached one-dimensional premixed laminar flame speed computations performed at the same conditions. Experiments were simulated with a three-dimensional CONVERGE™ model using reduced chemical kinetics (121 species, 538 reactions). The simulations accurately captured the measured flame propagation rates, as well as the variation in EGAI fraction with fuel reactivity and time-integrated end-gas temperature. The simulations also revealed low-temperature heat release as well as formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide formation in the end-gas upstream of the propagating flame, which increased the temperature and degree of chain branching in the end-gas, ultimately leading to EGAI.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

Unsteady deflagration speed of an auto-ignitive dimethyl-ether (DME)/air mixture at stratified conditions

The propagation speed of an auto-ignitive dimethyl-ether (DME)/air mixture at elevated pressures and subjected to monochromatic temperature oscillations is numerically evaluated in a one-dimensional statistically stationary configuration using fully resolved numerical simulations with reduced kinetics and transport. Two sets of conditions with temperatures within and slightly above the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) regime are simulated to investigate the fundamental aspects of auto-ignition and flame propagation along with the transition from auto-ignitive deflagration to spontaneous propagation regimes under thermal stratification. Contrary to the standard laminar flame speed, the steady propagation speed of an auto-ignitive front is observed to scale proportionally to its level of upstream reactivity. It is shown that this interdependence is primarily influenced by the characteristic residence time and the homogeneous auto-ignition delay. Furthermore, the unsteady reaction front in either of the two cases responds distinctly to the imposed stratification. Specifically, the results in both cases show that the dynamic flame response depends on the mean temperature at the flame base Tb and the time-scale of thermal stratification. It is also found that, based on Tb and the propensity of the mixture to two-stage chemistry, the instantaneous peak propagation speed and the overall time taken to achieve that speed differs considerably. A displacement speed analysis is carried out to elucidate the underlying combustion modes that are responsible for such a variation in flame response.

Energy & Fuels↗
DOE OSTI2016

A novel method to recover DD fusion proton CR-39 data corrupted by fast ablator ions at OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility

CR-39 detectors are used routinely in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments as a part of nuclear diagnostics. CR-39 is filtered to stop fast ablator ions which have been accelerated from an ICF implosion due to electric fields caused by laser-plasma interactions. In some experiments, the filtering is insufficient to block these ions and the fusion-product signal tracks are lost in the large background of accelerated ion tracks. A technique for recovering signal in these scenarios has been developed, tested, and implemented successfully. The technique involves removing material from the surface of the CR-39 to a depth beyond the endpoint of the ablator ion tracks. The technique preserves signal magnitude (yield) as well as structure in radiograph images. The technique is effective when signal particle range is at least 10 μm deeper than the necessary bulk material removal.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗