The impact of air-fuel mixture composition on SI engine performance during natural gas and producer gas combustion

Abstract

The paper summarizers results of experimental tests of SI engine fuelled with gaseous fuels such as, natural gas and three mixtures of producer gas substitute that simulated real producer gas composition. The engine was operated under full open throttle and charged with different air-fuel mixture composition (changed value of air excess ratio). The spark timing was adjusted to obtain maximum brake torque (MBT) for each fuel and air-fuel mixture. This paper reports engine indicated performance based on in-cylinder, cycle resolved pressure measurements. The engine performance utilizing producer gas in terms of indicated efficiency is increased by about 2 percentage points when compared to fuelling with natural gas. The engine power de-rating when producer gas is utilized instead the natural gas, varies from 24% to 28,6% under stoichiometric combustion conditions. For lean burn (λ=1.5) the difference are lower and varies from 22% to 24.5%.