Methane slip reduction of conventional dual-fuel natural gas diesel engine using direct fuel injection management and alternative combustion modes

Abstract

Alternative combustion mode and change of spray geometry show potential for methane slip reduction in a dual fuel diesel-natural gas internal combustion engine. Three combustion regimes are simulated; a conventional diesel methane dual-fuel combustion and two modes of reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) with early (EIRCCI) and late (LIRCCI) injections. Methane is injected as the premixed fuel into the port and diesel as direct-injected fuel in all combustion modes. The start of direct fuel injection (SOI) is used as the combustion management tool, swiping from misfiring to knock limits at part loads.By switching combustion mode from conventional (CDF) to LIRCCI and EIRCCI, methane slip is reduced by 12% and 33%, respectively. SOI is used effectively to manage methane slip in any combustion mode, but the effect is more substantial in the EIRCCI mode.Emission results support methane slip trends’ observations. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission is increased in CDF by advancing SOI and decreased in both the LIRCCI and EIRCCI modes. Compared to CDF, late and early injection RCCI modes produce 417% and 67% more soot. Also, results show that high levels of methane slip in CDF can be reduced to some extent without any geometry modification by SOI management.Three diesel spray angles (SAs) of 60, 90, 120° are examined. Minimum methane slip is obtained when the SA is towards the squish area, and maximum methane slip is obtained when the SA is towards the piston bowl. Increasing SA from 60 to 90 and 120° results in a 16.4% and 42.5% reduction of methane slip.