Effect of Hydrogen Addition on the Energetic and Ecologic Parameters of an SI Engine Fueled by Biogas

Saugirdas Pukalskas,Donatas Kriaučiūnas,Paweł Droździel,Alfredas Rimkus,Dalibor Barta,Grzegorz Przybyła

doi:10.3390/app11020742

Abstract

The global policy solution seeks to reduce the usage of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and biogas (BG) represents a solutions to these problems. The use of biogas could help cope with increased amounts of waste and reduce usage of fossil fuels. Biogas could be used in compressed natural gas (CNG) engines, but the engine electronic control unit (ECU) needs to be modified. In this research, a spark ignition (SI) engine was tested for mixtures of biogas and hydrogen (volumetric hydrogen concentration of 0, 14, 24, 33, and 43%). In all experiments, two cases of spark timing (ST) were used: the first for an optimal mixture and the second for CNG. The results show that hydrogen increases combustion quality and reduces incomplete combustion products. Because of BG’s lower burning speed, the advanced ST increased brake thermal efficiency (BTE) by 4.3% when the engine was running on biogas. Adding 14 vol% of hydrogen (H2) increases the burning speed of the mixture and enhances BTE by 2.6% at spark timing optimal for CNG (CNG ST) and 0.6% at the optimal mixture ST (mixture ST). Analyses of the rate of heat release (ROHR), temperature, and pressure increase in the cylinder were carried out using utility BURN in AVL BOOST software.

Highlights

Introduction censeeMDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The transport sector is facing the challenge of reducing emissions, while demand for transport is increasing
Further efforts have been made in the research and development of clean and alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas (CNG) [5], biogas [6], biodiesel [7], rapeseed oil [8], alcohols [9] and hydrogen (H2 ) [10,11], which are considered to be cleaner and more environmentally friendly when compared to conventional fuels
Because of the slight increase in the lower heat value (LHV) of the mixture and the enhanced combustion, the BSEC decreased by 2% with spark timing optimal for CNG (CNG ST) and by 0.7%

Summary

Introduction

Introduction censeeMDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The transport sector is facing the challenge of reducing emissions, while demand for transport is increasing. As several European Commission reports state, the road transport is the second largest source of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in the European Union (EU), accounting for around 25% of total CO2 emissions [1,2]. Without ambitious steps towards decarbonization, the EU-2016 Basic Standard states that by 2050, road transport may account for the largest share of CO2 emissions [3]. Reduction targets obligates a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared with 1990 and a 20% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2008 [4]. Biogas is one of the most promising types of biofuel with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use of fossil fuels. Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic compounds, such as agricultural wastes, municipal waste, animal waste, green waste, or food waste

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion