Comparative analysis of different heat transfer models, energy and exergy analysis for hydrogen-enriched internal combustion engine under different operation conditions

Abstract

The implementation of hydrogen as a fuel in internal combustion engines is widely considered a favorable optimal due to its zero-carbon emissions and high energy content. Heat transfer from engine cylinder walls has a major role on engine combustion, performance and emission characteristics. In this study, heat transfer analysis conducted by different heat transfer models and identify the best model to analyse the energy and exergy analysis of hydrogen enriched internal combustion engine. A series of experiments were conducted on a compressed natural gas internal combustion engine across varying hydrogen fractions, EGR ratios, engine speeds and load conditions to capture in-cylinder pressure data and heat transfer rate. The authors compared six distinct models for heat transfer based on absolute percentage errors of maximum pressure and indicated mean effective pressure. These models systematically incorporated into a quasi-dimensional combustion model (QDCM) on MATLAB for hydrogen-compressed natural gas engine, accounting for diverse operating conditions. Convective heat transfer models, including Woschni, Nusselt, Hohenberg, Han, Eichelberg, and Assanis correlations were employed. Comparative analyses were undertaken to identify the most precise correlation for predicting engine in-cylinder pressure and heat transfer rates with experimental results across a broad spectrum of operational conditions. The Woschni model, as presented, is most suitable for the QDCM of the hydrogen-compressed natural gas fuel blend. This suitability is indicated by the close alignment of Taylor length and turbulent intensity coefficients to 1, as well as the minimal absolute percentage error observed for indicated mean effective pressure. It is also observed that heat transfer rate is increased by increasing the engine load 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 % as 49.57 J/deg, 129.26 J/deg, 245.35 J/deg and 250.62 J/deg respectively and heat transfer rate is decreased by increasing the speed of engine 1100 rpm, 1200 rpm, 1500 rpm and 1700 rpm as 137.34 J/deg, 134.21 J/deg, 95.33 J/deg and 48.57 J/deg respectively. The energy and exergy analyses revealed that elevating the engine load corresponds to a reduction in exergy destruction. Brake energy increased 15 % by increasing the load conditions from 25 % to 100 % and decreased 7 % by increasing the speed from 1100 rpm to 1700 rpm. Another significant finding from this study is that the values of both energy and exergy efficiencies were 38.42 % and 40.12 % respectively obtained by thermodynamic analyses.