Computational study of added H2 impacts on mixture formation, OH radical and unregulated emissions of spark-ignition methanol engine under various boundary parameters

Abstract

Numerical simulations of hydrogen (H2) impacts on mixture formation, OH radical generation, and formaldehyde (HCHO) and unburned methanol (CH3OH) emissions of spark-ignition (SI) methanol engine based methanol late-injection strategy under different methanol injection timings (MIT), ignition timings (IT), excess air ratios (λ) and added H2 ratios (RH2) boundary parameters were conducted. The simulation results show that the ideal methanol concentration distribution is obtained at the MIT = 85°CA BTDC. The OH radical plays a dominant role in methanol oxidation. The OHPMF (peak OH radical mass fraction) of RH2 = 9 % ≫ OHPMF of RH2 = 6 % > OHPMF of RH2 = 3 % > OHPMF of RH2 = 0 % at MIT = 85°CA BTDC. Compared with IT and λ, the RH2 is more decisive for the generation of OH radical. The HCHO is a major intermediate and an important unregulated emission of methanol engine. In the initial stage of methanol reaction, added H2 can accelerate the generation of OH radical, further promote the oxidation of methanol, and greatly raise the generation of HCHO. The peak HCHO mass fraction increases with the increase of RH2. At MIT = 85°CA BTDC and exhaust valve opening, the HCHO emission of RH2 = 3 %, 6 %, and 9 % is approximately 51 %, 76.5 % and 89.4 % lower than that of RH2 = 0 %, respectively. The generation and post-oxidation of HCHO mainly depended on average in-cylinder temperature. There is a lowest CH3OH emission at MIT = 85°CA BTDC, IT = 28°CA BTDC, λ = 1.4 and pure methanol. At MIT = 85°CA BTDC, λ = 1.4 and exhaust valve opening, the CH3OH emission of RH2 = 3 %, 6 %, and 9 % is approximately 52.8 %, 75.5 % and 92.5 % lower than that of RH2 = 0 %, respectively.