Exhaust Back Pressure Research Articles

Effect of ash-bridge deposition in asymmetric diesel particulate filter channels on the pressure drop and particulate matter trapping characteristics

A diesel particulate filter (DPF) is commonly used to trap particulate matter (PM). The collapse and sintering of carbon and ash deposits during exhaust gas flow and DPF regeneration frequently result in the formation of ash bridges, which are buildups of ash and PM that clog the filter channels. To investigate the impact of an ash bridge formed by accumulated ash on the pressure drop and PM trapping characteristics of asymmetric DPFs, an asymmetric DPF channel with an ash bridge was constructed. The analysis employed computational fluid dynamics to examine how the ash bridge affects the pressure drop and PM trapping characteristics in an asymmetric DPF. This study reveals that the asymmetric DPF design effectively enhances the ash-holding capacity, thereby mitigating the risk of channel blockage. The presence of ash bridges in DPF channels has a more substantial impact on the pressure drop through radial congestion than through axial congestion. The application of asymmetric thin-wall DPFs can counteract the increase in exhaust backpressure caused by ash bridges. An ash bridge located in the middle of a DPF channel intensifies the uneven deposition of PM. However, implementing an asymmetric DPF structure enhances the uniformity of PM deposition.

Automobile exhaust flexible thermoelectric harvester enabled by liquid metal-based heatsink

The softening thermoelectric generator based on a deformable heatsink is expected to facilitate achieving remarkable temperature differences and thermal harvesting capabilities while alleviating exhaust back pressure and engine operating perturbations. However, the available soft polymer materials with poor thermal characteristics face challenges in realizing efficient heat transfer. Herein, we reported a highly integrated automobile exhaust flexible thermoelectric generator (IAE-FTEG) enabled by a liquid metal (LM)-based stretchable heatsink for cylindrical thermal sources to achieve efficiently harnessing waste heat energy and continuously powering multiple vehicle-mounted sensors. IAE-FTEG exhibits excellent flexibility (the bending radius at the apex of 0.57 cm) and outstanding heat transfer capability by introducing the porous sandwich-based soft electrode films and LM-based thermal interface material, achieving an output power enhancement of 25.7 %. The flexible heatsink is prepared by embedding LM droplets and copper particles into the elastic matrix forming solid–liquid multiphase composites, which obtain considerable thermal conductivity (2.40 W/mK@200 % stretching deformation) and excellent geometric conformity. We built the bench and the real vehicle test platform of the IAE-FTEG waste heat recovery system. The simulation test results demonstrate that the maximum power density achieved by the IAE-FTEG waste heat recovery system is 244 kW/m3. The real vehicle tests show that the IAE-FTEG waste heat recovery system has a relatively stable output performance with an average power density of 117 kW/m3 under urban conditions and can realize a stable power supply for back-end loads. Our IAE-FTEG can offer new opportunities in enabling efficient curved-surface waste heat recovery, flexible wearable electronics, and personalized thermal management.

Gas exchange optimization in aircraft engines using sustainable aviation fuel: A design of experiment and genetic algorithm approach

The poppet valves two-stroke (PV2S) aircraft engine fueled with sustainable aviation fuel is a promising option for general aviation and unmanned aerial vehicle propulsion due to its high power-to-weight ratio, uniform torque output, and flexible valve timings. However, its high-altitude gas exchange performance remains unexplored, presenting new opportunities for optimization through artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This study uses validated 1D + 3D models to evaluate the high-altitude gas exchange performance of PV2S aircraft engines. The valve timings of the PV2S engine exhibit considerable flexibility, thus the Latin hypercube design of experiments (DoE) methodology is employed to fit a response surface model. A genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to iteratively optimize valve timings for varying altitudes. The optimization process reveals that increasing the intake duration while decreasing the exhaust duration and valve overlap angles can significantly enhance high-altitude gas exchange performance. The optimal valve overlap angle emerged as 93 °CA at sea level and 82 °CA at 4000 m altitude. The effects of operating parameters, including engine speed, load, and exhaust back pressure, on the gas exchange process at varying altitudes are further investigated. The higher engine speed increases trapping efficiency but decreases the delivery ratio and charging efficiency at various altitudes. This effect is especially pronounced at elevated altitudes. The increase in exhaust back pressure will significantly reduce the delivery ratio and increase the trapping efficiency. This study demonstrates that integrating DoE with AI algorithms can enhance the high-altitude performance of aircraft engines, serving as a valuable reference for further optimization efforts.

Experimental investigation of the matching boundary and optimization strategy of a variable geometry turbocharged direct-injected hydrogen engine

With the higher demand for torque, power, brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and low NOx emissions of hydrogen engines, direct injection and turbocharging are the most effective methods to improve performance. However, due to the large air flow rate variation range with lean combustion and low exhaust gas energy, the turbine needs to be adjusted significantly, and the performance of the conventional waste gate turbochargers is limited. In this study, a 2.0 L direct-injected turbocharged hydrogen engine was studied experimentally and matched with a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT). The working boundary of the VGT determined by abnormal combustion and exhaust back pressure is proposed at all working conditions as it changes from 10-50 % @1500 rpm to 40–75 % @4500 rpm. Control of the VGT to balance combustion and gas exchange was achieved to reach the highest BTE of 42.57 %. Further, high torque of 326 Nm and high power of 125 kW are explored and different VGT opening strategies are compared. An optimized VGT opening control strategy is proposed, which is divided into five regions at different loads to ensure best performance. The VGT opening control strategy based on λ control and the trade-off between combustion and gas exchange efficiency at all working conditions can be valuable in the development of high-performance hydrogen engines.

Applicability of Variable-Geometry Turbocharger for Diesel Generators under High Exhaust Back Pressure

The exhaust back pressure of diesel engines is becoming increasingly higher nowadays. In order to keep discharging exhaust unhindered and operating smoothly under high exhaust back pressure, a large reduction in engine maximum brake output is often observed, as well as increased fuel consumption and lower combustion efficiency with heavy exhaust smokes. In our previous study, “Applicability of Reducing Valve Timing Overlap for Diesel Engines under High Exhaust Back Pressure”, a reduced valve timing overlap of 12 °CA partially improves the brake output and BSFC for a fixed-geometry turbocharged diesel engine under high exhaust back pressures. A potential solution for restoring the brake output under high exhaust back pressures could be the use of variable-geometry turbochargers. In this study, a variable-geometry turbocharger is applied to a diesel engine to study the engine performance characteristics and applicability, especially the further improvement of brake output and the brake-specific fuel consumption of the engine. Continuing with the results of our previous research, a basic setting of 12 °CA for the valve timing overlap is set up for the subsequent engine performance simulations in this study (using GT-Power SW). Via simulation, exhaust back pressures of 25 kPa, 45 kPa, and 65 kPa gauge are studied for a turbocharged diesel engine. The results for the engine parameters, including brake output, brake-specific fuel consumption, compressor outlet temperature, turbine inlet temperature, intake air mass flow rate, and exhaust mass flow rate are analyzed. The results of the variable-geometry turbocharger, including turbocharger speed, pressure ratios and efficiencies of compressor and turbine are also analyzed. The results indicate that the brake output and brake-specific fuel consumption are effectively improved under full-load operation with an adequate variable-geometry turbocharger rack position. Operable ranges of rack position are also set up for different back pressures.

Particle filter performance of soot-loaded diesel particulate filter and the effect of its regeneration on the particle number and size distribution

The DPF regeneration is crucial for reducing backpressure, minimizing negative impacts on engine power and fuel economy, but the changes in particulate emission characteristics it brings are worth studying. In this study, the influence of DPFs with different soot loadings on exhaust back pressure and particle emission characteristics, as well as the particle number emission, particle size distribution, and thermal field distribution characteristics during regeneration was investigated based on engine bench test. Results reveal that the exhaust back pressure increases linearly with the engine speed, as well as the soot loading. The increase of DPF soot loading leads to a considerable increase in the reduction efficiency of particle number (PN) and particulate matter emissions, especially for the accumulation mode particles. Moreover, the performance in reducing nucleation mode particles is markedly better than that of accumulation mode ones, and this effect is greatly influenced by the engine operating conditions. At the beginning of DPF regeneration, the PN concentration increases sharply, especially the nucleation mode particles. After regeneration, the PN emissions decrease by two orders of magnitude. During regeneration, the particle size distribution exhibits a unimodal distribution, with the peak value increasing considerably and shifting toward smaller particle sizes. After regeneration, the particle size of the PN peak value slightly decreases and markedly shifts toward larger sizes, the accumulation mode particle concentration increases by 7.2 times, and the nucleation mode particle concentration increases by 2.6 times. Before the DPF regeneration, the axial temperature gradually decreases along the direction of the airflow, and the radial temperature gradually decreases from the center to the edge. During regeneration, the highest temperature occurs in the center of the DPF cross-section, whereas the temperature peak at the outlet interface occurs at the middle position of the DPF. The findings of this paper can provide scientific references to formulation and optimization of DPF regeneration strategies.

Design and Analysis of the Exhaust Muffler for Two-Wheeler Vehicle

The muffler is an essential part of every type of car. On two-wheelers, however, it disperses flue gases throughout the atmosphere and reduces engine noise to a bearable level. It is occasionally called an exhaust muffler or a muffler. A silencer's main function is to block off noise produced when flue gas rushes past it quickly. Furthermore, the exhaust gases ought to be released into the atmosphere. The primary focus of this work is on two-wheeled vehicle exhaust mufflers. The current exhaust silencer design is subjected to CFD and fluid structure interaction analysis with engine-specific boundary conditions. The specifications will guide the creation of the muffler's design. ANSYS, a finite element analysis tool is used to measure and verify exhaust gas temperatures, velocities, and back pressure. Furthermore, a modal analysis is conducted to figure out how a geometric adaptation affects the fundamental frequency of the system. The actual testing consists of fabricating a customized exhaust silencer and evaluating it for noise and back pressure on a two-wheeler engine test rig.

Design and verification of diesel generator exhaust muffler

The exhaust muffler is one of the most effective methods to control the exhaust noise of diesel generator. In this paper, a new type of impedance composite muffler is designed for the spectral characteristics of diesel engines and the shortcomings of existing mufflers. The main idea of the design is to reasonably design the key structures such as the length-diameter ratio, the insert-pipe, and the sound-absorbing material of the muffler under the condition of keeping the shape unchanged and low cost, so as to achieve the broadband noise reduction performance and improve the working efficiency of the diesel engine. The basic structure of the designed muffler is introduced. The transmission loss and pressure loss are numerically simulated and analyzed by finite element method, and the experimental verification is carried out. The results show that the structural parameters of the muffler have little effect on the transmission loss in the low frequency range, and the influence is more obvious in the middle- and high-frequency range. Compared with the existing muffler, the designed muffler significantly improves the noise reduction performance and reduces the exhaust back pressure.

Study on Influence of Core Structure on Catalytic Converter Performance Using CFD

In recent years, as the automotive industry is growing, one of the major hope for future vehicles is to meet emissions regulations. Automobiles pollute the air, and clean-air laws have made Catalytic Converters a legal requirement because they convert harmful pollutants from an engine's exhaust into cleaner emissions. The device works with the principle of a catalyst, something that causes or speeds up a chemical reaction without itself being changed. But the presence of a catalytic converter increases the exhaust back pressure which has an indirect effect on the engine efficiency ie engine efficiency decreases, thus increasing fuel consumption. The performance of a catalytic converter is substantially affected by the flow distribution inside the substrate, a uniform flow distribution can increase its efficiency, lower the pressure drop and optimize engine performance. The flow distribution in a catalytic converter assembly 15 is governed by the geometry configurations of the inlet and outlet cone section, the substrate, and exhaust gas compositions, and therefore a better design of the catalytic converter is very important. This Project deals with the fundamental understanding and study of complex processes taking place involving fluid flow, pressure, and velocity profiles in the catalytic converter using ANSYS WORKBENCH 2022 R1. The main objective of our analysis is to determine the most effective and optimum design of a Catalytic Converter

Corrigendum to “Applicability of Reducing Valve Timing Overlap for Diesel Engines under High Exhaust Back Pressure”

Corrigendum to “Applicability of Reducing Valve Timing Overlap for Diesel Engines under High Exhaust Back Pressure”

Applicability of Reducing Valve Timing Overlap for Diesel Engines under High Exhaust Back Pressure

Applicability of Reducing Valve Timing Overlap for Diesel Engines under High Exhaust Back Pressure

The influence of particle oxidation catalyst (POC) mode on emissions reduction of a turbo-charging non-road diesel under wide operating conditions

In the present study, the influence of particle oxidation catalyst (POC) on emissions reduction of a non-road diesel engine is experimentally investigated under wide operating conditions. First, the diesel engine with four POC-aftertreatments (other reactors are kept unchanged) is tested under eight operating conditions non-road steady cycle (NRSC). Then, the diesel engine emissions with best POC-aftertreatment combination and without aftertreatment are comparatively tested under universal conditions. The experiments show that under NRSC, POC-3 which has Pt catalysts with Al2O3 support, asymmetrical channels layout and closed outlet form structure has the best overall exhaust purification, especially for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). The PM conversions efficiency of POC-1, POC-2, POC-3 and POC-4 is 15.3%, 51.7%, 60.9% and 58.8%, respectively under NRSC. The contribution rates of emissions analysis results under NRSC indicated that a single POC mode cannot cover the whole engine operating range. Under universal characteristic test, the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of original engine is a little lower than that of POC-3 in the whole engine operating conditions due to higher exhaust back pressure of POC-3. The engine with POC-3 has very good exhaust conversion efficiencies, the average conversion efficiency of NOx, PM, carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbons (HC) is 96.1%, 51.9%, 77.8%, and 95.6%, respectively. The PM capture efficiency of POC-3 at low load of whole speed range and all load of medium speed are more than 50% compared to other operating conditions. There is little effect on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by POC.

Effect of a retrofitted metallic microfiber partial flow diesel particulate filter on a light duty diesel vehicle particle emission characteristics

This study was conducted two distinct experiments, using a light-duty diesel vehicle at various engine speeds and loads as well as the new European driving cycle (NEDC) comparing commercial diesel fuel (B7) and pure biodiesel (B100). The NEDC involves a combination of urban and extra urban driving conditions. It aims to study a diesel vehicle's thermal efficiency as well as its gaseous and particulate matter (PM) emissions. This involves comparing results with and with no diesel oxidative catalyst (DOC) and a partial flow diesel particulate filter (PDPF) system. The surface morphology, micro- and nanostructure of a diesel vehicle's PM were also examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to determine nanostructural and dimensional changes after mounting a DOC-PDPF system. Comparison of B7 and B100 combustion showed that B100 had around 1 % increase in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) at 1500 and 2000 rpm compared to B7 since B100 is a more oxygenated biofuel. At 2500 rpm, similar BTE values were observed. Introduction of a DOC-PDPF system resulted in an approximately 1 % BTE reduction for both fuels. This was due to greater friction losses caused by backpressure from the DOC-PDPF system. Increased exhaust backpressure was progressive, ranging from 1 kPa at idle speed to 6 kPa at high engine speeds for both tested fuels. The DOC-PDPF system respectively minimized PM emissions and particle numbers (PNs) by more than 50 % and 35 % for B7 and 71 % and 31 % for B100. These results are average values under the various phases of NEDC testing. A 30 % decrease in PM and a 44 % reduction in PNs under the overall test cycle were found when B100 was tested compared to B7. The soot primary particle size was reduced from 34.69 to 29.08 nm and the carbon fringe length diminished from 1.25 to 0.949 nm at different pre- and post-DOC-PDPF locations. This was due to partial oxidation on the surfaces of the PDPF metallic microstructure. PM undergoes simultaneous partial oxidation after passing through the DOC-PDPF system, as confirmed by TGA analysis.

Taguchi optimization and thermoelectrical analysis of a pin fin annular thermoelectric generator for automotive waste heat recovery

Enhancing thermoelectric performance while minimizing exhaust back pressure is a crucial step in advancing the commercial viability of automotive thermoelectric generators. To achieve high overall performance in a thermoelectric generator, an annular thermoelectric generator equipped with circular pin fins is proposed. A comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model is established to accurately predict thermoelectric performance and thermomechanical behavior. Detailed multi-physics field distribution characteristics are analyzed. Using an L25 orthogonal array, we examine five influencing factors and their five levels: exhaust temperature, exhaust mass flow rate, fin height, fin diameter, and the number of fins. The Taguchi analysis suggests that exhaust temperature is the most influential factor in determining thermoelectric performance, followed by mass flow rate, fin height, fin diameter, and fin number. The optimal values for these parameters are 673 K, 30 g/s, 20 mm, 3 mm, and 420, respectively. Under the optimal design parameters, the net power reaches 34.11 W, representing an 18.7% increase compared to the original design. Moreover, a comparative study is conducted between plate fins and pin fins, showing that the pin fin-based thermoelectric generator exhibits a 5.83% increase in output power and a 4.82% increase in maximum thermal stress compared to the plate fin-based thermoelectric generator.

Experimental investigation of the working boundary limited by abnormal combustion and the combustion characteristics of a turbocharged direct injection hydrogen engine

In the process of hydrogen energy conversion and utilization, the direct-injection hydrogen internal combustion engine has been proven to produce zero carbon emissions with high thermal efficiency. However, the risk of abnormal combustion and high requirements of turbocharging limits the improvement of engine performance. This paper focuses on exploring the performance boundary of a 2.0 L turbocharged direct injection hydrogen engine with bench test under all working conditions. Applied variable geometry turbocharger can provide high intake pressure of 270 kPa with proper exhaust back pressure under all engine speed working conditions by changing the turbo opening angle. Delayed injection timing can enhance the performance, while improper injection timing may cause severe pre-ignition and afterburning. The burn duration ranges from 11 °CA to 29 °CA is significantly impacted by the engine speed and the excess air fuel ratio, whereas the load exerts less influence. Furthermore, the boundary of the minimum excess air fuel ratio limited by knock with different intake pressure, compression ratio and ignition timing are investigated and optimized. The minimum excess air fuel ratio limited by knock reaches 1.80 with a maximum torque of 325 Nm at the engine speed of 2500 rpm due to the limitation of the pre-ignition and super -knock. A high brake thermal efficiency of 43.02 % and a maximum power of 125 kW are achieved with the minimum excess air fuel ratio limited by knock of 2.05 and 1.4 respectively.

The role of advancing fuel injection timing in mitigating the negative impact of exhaust back-pressure on diesel engines’ performance

This study investigated the negative impact of exhaust back-pressure (EBP) on diesel engine performance and how it can be mitigated by advancing fuel injection timing (FIT). Experiments were conducted on a diesel engine with various EBP and FIT settings, and the impact of these factors on engine performance was evaluated under a constant load. The results showed that increasing EBP delayed the combustion process, resulted in longer ignition delay periods, and decreased engine efficiency. However, by advancing FIT, these negative effects could be mitigated to some extent. Specifically, advancing FIT led to shorter ignition delay periods, improved combustion rate, and earlier maximum pressure values. The study highlights the potential of controlling FIT as a promising approach to reduce the negative impact of EBP on diesel engine performance and environmental impact. The results of the study have practical implications for diesel engine operators seeking to offset the negative impact of EBP resulting from the integration of waste heat recovery or aftertreatment systems in the exhaust system, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of diesel engines.

Study on CO emission during DOC assisted DPF regeneration

Diesel particulate filters is the most effective post-treatment device used to reduce diesel exhaust particulate emissions. As the amount of particulate matter captured in the diesel particulate filter continues to increase, the exhaust pressure of the diesel engine gradually increases, thereby affecting the power performance of the diesel engine. Therefore, when the particulate matter capture amount reaches a certain value, the diesel particulate matter filter needs to be regenerated. Regeneration of diesel particulate filters will produce secondary pollution, of which CO is one of the most important secondary pollution. In this paper, the CO generation mechanism and influencing factors in the regeneration process of diesel particulate filters are analyzed. The effects of exhaust pressure and exhaust flow on CO emission during regeneration are measured through experiments. The results show that when the exhaust back pressure is greater than 80kPa, the CO solubility in the exhaust gas increases rapidly, and decreases linearly with the increase of exhaust flow during regeneration. Therefore, in order to reduce the solubility of CO in tail gas during regeneration of diesel particulate filters, the exhaust back pressure shall be less than 80kPa and the exhaust flow shall be as high as possible.

A CFD Modelling Approach for the Operation Analysis of an Exhaust Backpressure Valve Used in a Euro 6 Diesel Engine

Harvesting residual thermal energy from exhaust gases with thermoelectric generators is one of the paths that are currently being explored to achieve more sustainable and environmentally friendly means of transport. In some cases, thermoelectric generators are installed in a by-pass configuration to regulate the mass flow entering the thermoelectric generator. Some manufacturers are using throttle valves with electromechanical actuators and electronic control in the exhaust pipe to improve techniques for active control of pollutant emissions in reciprocating internal combustion engines, such as the exhaust gas recirculation. The above-mentioned circumstances have motivated the approach of this work: computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling of the operation of a throttle valve used for establishing adequate exhaust backpressure conditions to achieve the low pressure exhaust gas recirculation in Euro 6 engines. The aim of this model is to understand the flow control process with these types of valves in order to incorporate them in an exhaust system that will include two thermoelectric generators used to convert residual thermal energy into electrical energy. This work presents a computational model of the flow through the throttle valve under different temperatures and mass flow rates of the exhaust gas with different closing positions. For all cases, the values of the pressure drop were obtained. In all cases studied, the level of agreement between the modelled and experimental results exceeds 90%. The developed model has helped to propose a correlation to estimate the mass flow rate of exhaust gas from easily measurable quantities.

A comparative analysis of moving average filter and Kalman filter for large diesel engine test cell back-pressure control

Diesel engine combustion releases many harmful components, thus there are continuous efforts into improving the efficiency of these engines and reducing the harmful gasses and particulates to meet the emission authorities targets. To develop and sell new engine-related products, these engines are required to run and to be audited in diesel engine test cells. A critical measurement for benchmark testing is the exhaust back-pressure, which is the resultant exhaust flow from the engine and a product of the air and fuel consumed. The back-pressure is controlled by restricting the flow of the exhaust using a butterfly valve and this pressure must be set to the defined limits to ensure engine compliance. Setting this limit takes time and consumes large volumes of fuel, which causes additional emissions. Therefore, a feedback control solution to regulate this back-pressure is desirable. In current practice, a moving average filter is used on two commercial standard engine softwares – SGS CyFlex® and AVL Puma 2® Data Acquisition and Control Systems to provide a useful signal for feedback control. Considering the presence of erratic noise associated with the back-pressure measurement, a Kalman Filter with tunable measurement uncertainty and process noise gains is also considered. By modifying the script in SGS CyFlex® and AVL PUMA 2®, a Kalman Filter is implemented for the first time on diesel engine test cells and a comparative analysis between the performance of the two filters is provided. Both filters effectively reduce the noise of the system, with the Kalman Filter showing a closer tracking to the desired system response. This demonstrates the potential of applying the Kalman Filter to provide the feedback signal for improved back-pressure control that could reduce the fuel consumption during testing, thereby makes testing process more economical and environment friendly. The script and results presented in this work will open up the opportunities of applying Kalman filtering method’s in various engine testing functions, which will have broader impact in the current industrial practice.

Thermodynamic analysis of power recovery of marine diesel engine under high exhaust backpressure by additional electrically driven compressor

Marine diesel engines can be exposed to high backpressure conditions, because various aftertreatment systems and waste heat recovery devices have been applied to reduce emissions and some exhaust outlets are below sea level. The engine performance deteriorates sharply under high backpressure. This paper aims to study power recovery method under high backpressure based on thermodynamic analysis. Firstly, thermodynamic model is established and validated by experimental data. Next, effects of turbocharger efficiency and turbine area on power recovery are studied. The results show that feasible turbine performance are limitations for power recovery. If energy of compressor can be increased without changing turbine area, limitations can be overcome. Thirdly, additional electrically driven compressor as a solution is proposed to recover engine power. A comparative study of different electrically driven compressor schemes is carried out. The most suitable scheme is the series scheme at low-pressure stage because operating points for original compressor and electrically driven compressor are within a reasonable range. Finally, research on power recovery is carried out on optimal electric compressor scheme. The results show that when backpressure is 0.65 bar, engine net power can be increased by 49.4% and exhaust temperature drops by about 77 K, which largely reduces turbine thermal load.