Revealing the effect of plasma-chemical treatment of propane-butane fuel on the environmental characteristics of the internal combustion engine

Abstract

One of the key problems of modern engine construction is the improvement of environmental performance while ensuring a competitive price of produced engines. This is achieved using state-of-the-art control systems, expensive fuel equipment, and complex exhaust gas neutralization systems. The search for ways to improve the environmental performance of transport engines without significant complication of their structure is a priority area of modern research. Plasma chemical treatment of gas makes it possible to reduce the level of harmful substances in exhaust gases by 1.5‒4 times relative to operation on propane-butane without processing. This paper considers the possibility of using a plasma dynamic stabilization technique and conducting an electric discharge without contact with metal electrodes for the implementation of endothermic reactions whose implementation requires energy from an external source. During test experiments, volt-ampere characteristics of the system with needle electrodes were established, the distance between which was 2‒5 mm at different feed pressures of propane-butane gas mixture (75 % propane and 25 % butane). At the outlet of the plasma-chemical reactor, a hydrogen-containing gas mixture is obtained, which is subsequently supplied to the combustion chamber through the regular gas fuel system of the engine. Next, when such a gas mixture burns in the combustion chamber, hydrogen acts as a catalyst for chemical reactions, which reduces the thickness of the flame extinguishing front, increases the speed and completeness of combustion of the gas mixture. Based on the results of comparative motor studies, it was found that plasma-chemical treatment of propane-butane has almost no influence on the effective efficiency of the engine and specific fuel consumption. It should also be noted that the use of plasma-chemical reactors on board a vehicle allows them to be integrated into regular gas fuel engine systems with minimal changes in their structure, which has almost no effect on the mass-size indicators and maintenance conditions of the gas fuel system