Theoretical investigation of the combustion performance of ammonia/hydrogen mixtures on a marine diesel engine

Abstract

Ammonia is a good hydrogen carrier and can be well combined with hydrogen for combustion. The combustion performance of the mixtures of ammonia and hydrogen in a medium-speed marine diesel engine was investigated theoretically. The HCCI combustion mode was selected for reducing thermal-NOx production. The start fire characteristic of the NH3–H2 mixtures was studied under different equivalence ratio, hydrogen-doped ratio, and intake air temperature and pressure. Then, the combustion performance of the NH3–H2 mixtures (doping 30% hydrogen) was analyzed at a typical operation condition of engine. The addition hydrogen improved the laminar flame velocity of ammonia, and affected the NOx emission. For the medium-speed marine engine fueled with NH3–H2, reducing combustion temperature, introducing EGR and combining with post-treatment technology would be a feasible scheme to reduce NOx emission.