Methanol-fueled Engine Research Articles

Simulation Analysis of a Methanol Fueled Marine Engine for the Ship Decarbonization Assessment

Methanol as marine fuel represents one of the most cost-effective and practical solutions towards low-carbon shipping. Methanol fueled internal combustion engines have a high level of technological readiness and are already available on the market; however, technical data in terms of fuel consumption and emissions are not yet easily accessible. For this reason, the present study deals with the simulation of a virtual spark-ignition methanol engine, carried out in a Matlab-Simulink© R2023a environment to assess the CO2 emissions in several working conditions of a possible ship power system. The thermodynamic model of the methanol fueled engine is derived from a marine gas engine simulator, already validated by the authors in a previous work. This article presents the relevant modifications necessary to adapt the engine to the methanol fuel mode with regard to the different fuel characteristics. The simulation analysis compares the results of the virtual methanol engine with available data from a similar, existing gas engine, highlighting the differences in efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions.

Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Power Management Systems in Ships – Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Assessment

This paper addresses the maritime industry's imperative to cut greenhouse gas emissions by exploring hybrid propulsion systems for bulk carrier vessels, specifically focusing on battery systems and hybridized conventional four-stroke generator engines. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and MARCOS decision-making method, the study evaluates diverse factors, including capital and operational expenditures, risk, emissions, bunkering availability, and weight. The research delves into different power management system topologies, such as conventional diesel engines, ammonia, and methanol-fueled engines, along with battery hybrids. The study underscores the methodological significance of decision-making tools and anticipates that evolving regulations will drive the maritime industry towards carbon neutrality through hybrid power management systems.

Experimental and chemical-kinetic evaluation of a heavy-duty methanol PFI engine with direct water injection

Internal combustion engines are still widely used for propulsion in modern vehicles. Upcoming emission legislation imposes stricter limits on exhaust emissions. One method to achieve emission compliance is by using a three-way catalyst (TWC), which offers excellent emission reduction if the mixture is stoichiometric. However, stoichiometric mixtures in spark-ignited engines have the drawback of increased knock propensity. Knock can be mitigated by using water injection, which serves as both a diluent and utilizes latent heat to reduce the temperature, thereby reducing the reactivity of the unburned mixture. Methanol as a fuel has received more attention thanks to its high research octane number (RON) and its potential to contribute to decarbonization when produced as e- or bio-methanol. In the current study, Direct Water Injection (DWI) was evaluated on a Heavy-Duty (HD) single-cylinder research engine fueled by methanol. This work aims to fill a research gap on methanol-fueled engines with water injection. A direct injection system of water was chosen as it offers the freedom to inject during the closed cycle. Furthermore, a chemical kinetic study on the oxidation of stoichiometric methanol–water mixtures was conducted based on findings in the literature suggesting that, under certain conditions, water mixed with alcohol (in this case, ethanol) can reduce the ignition delay. The experimental results demonstrate that DWI effectively suppresses knock and reduced Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), albeit with deteriorated combustion efficiency. The chemical kinetic study suggested that at lower to intermediate temperatures, water acts as an efficient third-body collider, which lowers the ignition delay. However, this effect is not significant for the typical timescales encountered in HD engines.

Summary of Methanol-fueled Engine

Summary of Methanol-fueled Engine

Comprehensive study on unregulated emissions of heavy-duty SI pure methanol engine with EGR

Methanol is a potential alternative fuel for heavy-duty engines to effectively reduce carbon emissions. On the other hand, unregulated emissions from methanol-fueled engines are harmful to the environment. The formaldehyde emission mechanism was investigated in this paper using a premixed laminar combustion experiment and a plug flow reactor (PFR) simulation with a detailed mechanism. Furthermore, the engine test was carried out on a heavy-duty spark ignition (SI) pure methanol engine with EGR to study the effects of the injection strategy, exhaust gas recirculation ratio (EGR), engine load, and speed on unregulated emissions. The high-pressure loop EGR system and port fuel injection system were adopted. Unregulated emissions were measured using a GC-2010 gas chromatography analyzer with a pulsed discharge helium ionization detector (PDHID) and Gs-OxyPLOT. Formaldehyde emission is the post-oxidation production of unburned methanol, according to the experiment and simulation, and it increases first, then decreases as the temperature rises. Unregulated emissions mainly consist of methanol and formaldehyde. The injection timing can be divided into two groups: 120°CA to 300°CA and 360°CA to 780°CA, where 0°CA represents fire TDC. The BTE at αinj of 120°CA to 300°CA is lower than that at other αinj, while methanol and formaldehyde emissions are the opposite. The temperature of unburned methanol post-oxidation is affected by engine speed, load, and EGR ratio, affecting methanol and formaldehyde emissions. The higher exhaust temperature caused by the higher engine speed, load and a lower EGR ratio can reduce methanol emissions. The nonmonotonic trends of formaldehyde emission with the EGR ratio and the different influences of EGR on the formaldehyde emission under different engine loads are the result of the nonmonotonic relationship between formaldehyde emission and temperature. The engine experiment results are consistent with the PFR simulation.

Simulations of methanol fueled locomotive engine using high pressure co-axial direct injection system

Methanol has emerged as a strong alternate fuel candidate, which can meet future fuel requirements for locomotive traction. Simulation approach is an excellent tool for preliminary technical feasibility assessment of alternative fuels compared to time consuming experiments. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the feasibility of 90% diesel displacement by methanol (on energy basis) in the ALCO-251 locomotive engines, the workhorse of Indian Railways (IR). In the first phase of this study, base model of ALCO-251 locomotive engine was prepared in 1-D simulation software (GT-Power), which was validated using the experimental data of mineral diesel provided by Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO), which is the R&D wing of IR. Locomotive engine works on eight different engine speeds at different notches: 350 rpm (1st Notch), 450 rpm (2nd Notch), 550 rpm (3rd Notch), 650 rpm (4th Notch), 750 rpm (5th Notch), 850 rpm (6th Notch), 950 rpm (7th Notch), 1050 rpm (8th Notch). In the second phase of the study using this validated model, a co-axial injector was used where methanol was used as the primary fuel, and diesel was used as the secondary fuel for pilot injection using Co-axial High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) method. For simulations, methanol and diesel injectors were housed in a single injector body of the co-axial injector, but they had individual controls. Co-axial injector was actuated such that first it injected diesel in hot air-environment to initiate the combustion, followed by injection of methanol as the main motive fuel. Base model simulated the engine performance, emissions, and combustion characteristics quite well, which were in good agreement with the experimental data. Pareto optimized dimensions of the co-axial injector were 0.486 mm nozzle hole diameter, and 3 holes for pilot diesel injection, and 0.544 mm nozzle hole diameter, and 5 holes for methanol injection. HPDI of Methanol with Pilot Diesel Injection Model with optimized injector dimensions exhibited in-cylinder pressure curve shapes similar to the base model with similar/ superior torque characteristics, higher brake thermal efficiency, and lower NOx emisssions. Inevitably, 1-D simulation for the locomotive engine represented a potential method to achieve similar/ better engine performance, combustion and emission characteristics via this new fuel injection concept, using high pressure co-axial direct injection system.

The practical implementation of methanol as a clean and efficient alternative fuel for automotive vehicles

Ever since the energy crises in 1970s, the methanol, among other alternative fuels, has been studied for automotive application. The methanol has been widely used for auto racing due to its superior anti-knock characteristics. However, aldehyde is a highly toxic pollutant and aldehyde emission out of alcohol fuel combustion could be considerably higher than spark-ignited gasoline engines. The corrosion and durability of methanol fuel components were also concerns for mass production of methanol-fueled vehicles. The authors have worked with an automotive manufacturer in China to investigate the brake thermal and emission improvement potentials of a methanol-fueled, spark-ignited engine over the original gasoline engine on a passenger car application and to demonstrate the performance and China V emission compliance over its useful life of 160,000 km. The study found that the methanol-fueled engine has 4%–6% brake thermal advantage over the original gasoline engine, and a three-way oxidation catalyst has successfully managed the tailpipe emissions under China V emission limit, consistently over the journey of 160,000 km. The test data show that the tailpipe aldehyde emission is actually reduced to a level that is below what is required by US LEV III emission standard, largely due to the three-way oxidation catalyst and the gasoline cold start assistance at the beginning of the transient emission cycle. This study indicates that methanol-fueled engine might be an attractive low-cost alternative for a more efficient and clean powertrain over conventional gasoline when a light-duty diesel engine faces challenges from future China VI emission regulations.

Experimental Investigations of Particulate Size and Number Distribution in an Ethanol and Methanol Fueled HCCI Engine

Alcohols (ethanol and methanol) are being widely considered as alternative fuels for automotive applications. At the same time, homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine has attracted global attention due to its potential of providing high engine efficiency and ultralow exhaust emissions. Environmental legislation is becoming increasingly stringent, sharply focusing on particulate matter (PM) emissions. Recent emission norms consider limiting PM number concentrations in addition to PM mass. Therefore, present study is conducted to experimentally investigate the effects of engine operating parameters on the PM size–number distribution in a HCCI engine fueled with gasoline, ethanol, and methanol. The experiments were conducted on a modified four-cylinder diesel engine, with one cylinder modified to operate in HCCI mode. Port fuel injection was used for preparing homogeneous charge in the HCCI cylinder. Intake air preheating was used to enable auto-ignition of fuel–air mixture. Engine exhaust particle sizer (EEPS) was used for measuring size–number distribution of soot particles emitted by the HCCI engine cylinder under varying engine operating conditions. Experiments were conducted at 1200 and 2400 rpm by varying intake air temperature and air–fuel ratio for gasoline, ethanol, and methanol. In this paper, the effect of engine operating parameters on PM size–number distribution, count mean diameter (CMD), and total PM numbers is investigated. The experimental data show that the PM number emissions from gasoline, ethanol, and methanol in HCCI cannot be neglected and particle numbers increase for relatively richer mixtures and higher intake air temperatures.

Experimental investigations of performance, combustion and emission characteristics of ethanol and methanol fueled HCCI engine

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines have potential to provide both diesel like efficiencies and very low NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions. There is growing global interest in using alternative biofuels in order to reduce the reliance on conventional fossil fuels. Therefore this experimental study was carried out to investigate performance, combustion and emission characteristics of HCCI engine fueled with ethanol and methanol and compare it with baseline gasoline fuel. The experiments were conducted on a modified four-cylinder four-stroke engine at different engine speeds using port fuel injection technique for preparing homogeneous charge. To achieve auto-ignition of air–fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, intake air pre-heater was used. In-cylinder pressure data acquisition with subsequent heat release analysis and exhaust emission measurements were done for combustion and emission diagnostics. In this paper, effect of intake air temperature and air–fuel ratio on combustion parameters, thermal efficiency, combustion efficiency, ringing intensity and emissions in HCCI engine is analyzed and discussed. Results show that methanol and ethanol are good replacements to gasoline in HCCI combustion mode.

The potential of methanol as a fuel for flex-fuel and dedicated spark-ignition engines

Using light alcohols in spark-ignition engines can improve energy security and offers the prospect of carbon neutral transport. The properties of these fuels enable considerable improvements in engine performance and pollutant emissions. Whereas most experimental studies have focused on ethanol, this paper provides experimental results gathered on various methanol-fuelled engines. A comparison against gasoline on two flex-fuel engines yielded relative efficiency benefits of about 10% for methanol thanks to more isochoric combustion, less pumping, cooling and dissociation losses. Lower combustion temperatures allowed to reduce engine-out NOx by 5–10g/kWh. The CO2 values dropped by more than 10%. Alternative load control strategies, employing mixture richness or exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to control load while keeping the throttle wide open, were compared on a single cylinder engine. The EGR strategy seems preferable as it allows to increase part load efficiency up to 5% without sacrificing in terms of tailpipe emissions. Finally, this load control strategy of choice was applied to a turbocharged, high compression ratio engine to demonstrate that methanol can be used in dedicated engines with diesel-like efficiencies (up to 42%) and emission levels comparable to or lower than gasoline engines.

Effect of Preheating on Firing Behavior of a Spark-Ignition Methanol-Fueled Engine during Cold Start

To overcome the difficulty in the cold start of the spark-ignition (SI) methanol-fueled engine with inlet port fuel injection (PFI) at low ambient temperatures, the effects of several auxiliary preheating measures, including the intake air preheating, the methanol fuel preheating, the resistance wire, which heats the inlet manifold, and the glow plug, which heats the methanol−air mixture, on the firing behavior of the methanol-fueled engine were studied experimentally by means of a single-cycle methanol injection strategy. The results showed that, with the ambient temperatures below 16 °C, the methanol-fueled engine cannot be started reliably without an auxiliary start aid even at a large amount of methanol injected per cycle. Both the intake air preheating and the methanol fuel preheating cannot ensure the reliable firing of the methanol-fueled engine during the cold start, but the resistance wire and the glow plug will do. Under the glow-plug preheating, the amount of methanol injected per cycle for reliable cold start is by 30% less than that of the resistance wire and the maximum combustion pressure in the cylinder is 180% higher. The preheating by the glow plug is better than that by the resistance wire.

Combustion and Hydrocarbon (HC) Emissions from a Spark-Ignition Engine Fueled with Gasoline and Methanol during Cold Start

The effects of the ambient temperature and the amount of fuel injected per cycle on the cold-start firing behavior as well as the combustion and the hydrocarbon (HC) emissions of an electronically controlled inlet port injection spark-ignition (SI) engine fueled with gasoline and methanol, respectively, during the cold start were studied experimentally by means of a single-cycle fuel injection strategy. The results showed that the amount of fuel injected per cycle significantly affects the gasoline-fueled engine cold-start reliability. A proper amount of fuel injected per cycle ensures a reliable start of the gasoline-fueled engine. The ambient temperature affects most significantly the cold-start ability of the methanol-fueled engine, and the amount of methanol injected per cycle takes second place. With the ambient temperature below 16 °C, the methanol-fueled engine cannot be started reliably without auxiliary start aid even with a large amount of methanol injection under low injection pressure. Using a...

Thermodynamic modeling of direct injection methanol fueled engines

In-cylinder pressure is an important parameter that is used to investigate the combustion process in internal combustion (IC) engines. In this paper, a thermodynamic model of IC engine combustion is presented and examined. A heat release function and an empirical conversion efficiency factor are introduced to solve the model. The pressure traces obtained by solving the thermodynamic model are compared with measured pressure data for a fully instrumented laboratory IC spark ignition (SI) engine. Derived scaling parameters for time to peak pressure, peak pressure, and maximum rate of pressure rise (among others) are developed and compared with the numerical simulations. The models examined here may serve as pedagogic tools and, when suitably refined, as preliminary design tools.

Investigation on Firing Behavior of the Spark-Ignition Engine Fueled with Methanol, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), and Methanol/LPG During Cold Start

The objective of this investigation is to compare the transient firing behavior of a spark-ignition engine fueled with methanol, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and methanol/LPG, respectively, during cold start by means of a cycle-by-cycle control strategy. The experimental results showed that the ambient temperature affects the methanol-fueled engine reliable cold start the most significantly, and the amount of methanol injected per cycle takes the second place. When the ambient temperature is below 16, the methanol-fueled engine can not be started reliably without auxiliary start-aids even at a large amount of methanol injected per cycle under low injection pressure. The amount of fuel injected per cycle affects the LPG- and the methanol/LPG-fueled engine cold start reliability significantly. A proper amount of fuel injected per cycle can ensure reliable start of the LPG- and the methanol/LPG-fueled engine. At the same injection timing of LPG and methanol, the LPG-fueled engine may realize the ideal firi...

Performance and Combustion Characteristics in a Methanol-Fueled IDI Engine.

Restraining the initial combustion, promoting the diffused combustion and reducing the cyclic combustion variation are of utmost importance to improving the fuel economy, exhaust gas emissions, and noise of the methanol fueled indirect injection (IDI) diesel engine. The author closely studied methanol fuel combustion in a high speed diesel engine (swirl-chamber system and single cylinder of 82.5mm bore and 92mm stroke), using different ignition systems, such as the spark-assisted method, glow-assisted method, and diesel fuel pilot injected method, to evaluate the engine performance and combustion characteristics. The methanol-fueled engine used in the study had a new combustion chamber with a refined jet passage for the optimum air discharge coefficient as well as for improved diffusion and penetration of jet in the main chamber. The engine cylinder was equipped with a miniature throttle nozzle for improved fuel injection characteristics. The new methanol-fueled combustion system was found to outperform the diesel-fueled conventional combustion system as regard the fuel consumption, smoke emission, and NOx emissions, regardless of which ignition system were employed.

Impact Test with Hard Ball and Plate in Liquid Fuel. 1st Report. Development of Impact Tester and Wear Test in Methanol and Gasoline.

Alcohol is considered one of the effective alternative fuels, with the intention of reducing air pollution and ensuring a stable energy supply. It is known that valve surfaces in fuel injectors are worn for methanol fueled engines. It is important to make the wear mechanism clear in methanol for the practical use of methanol fuel vehicles. In this study, to simulate the wear phenomena on injector valves, a steel bearing ball was collided repeatedly with a flat hard plate in some liquid fuels. Electric resistance between the ball and the plate, which is corresponded to metallic contact rate, and collision load were measured. Undergoing the impact, squeeze film was formed, and whose characteristic was investgated by examining the relation between the collision load and the metallic contact rate. It revealed that the viscocity of methanol is so low under the high pressure that the squeeze film breakes down easily and the wear of materials are remarkable in methanol.

Self-ignition and combustion stability in a methanol fueled low heat rejection ceramic ATAC engine—analysis of cyclic variation at high wall temperatures and lean burn operation

Abstract ATAC (Active Thermo-Atmosphere Combustion) is stable at its lean limit because it is bulk-like and non-propagating in nature and is initiated by self-ignition. A low heat rejection methanol-fueled engine was used to investigate the influence of making the fuel-air ratio leaner and increasing the combustion chamber wall temperature on cyclic variation of ATAC ignition and combustion. The cyclic variation of self-ignition timing, combustion duration, total heat release, and instantaneous wall heat flux was analyzed, from which correlations between self-ignition timing and combustion duration, self-ignition timing and total heat release, and combustion duration and total heat release were obtained.

Combustion control in a methanol-fueled diesel engine — Part 5: Improvement of NOx emission characteristics applying EGR with supercharging under high load conditions Yoshio Sato, Akira Noda, Takashi Sakamoto (Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute, Ministry of Transport)

Combustion control in a methanol-fueled diesel engine — Part 5: Improvement of NOx emission characteristics applying EGR with supercharging under high load conditions Yoshio Sato, Akira Noda, Takashi Sakamoto (Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute, Ministry of Transport)

Stability of Autoignition and Combustion in Low-Heat-Rejection, Ceramic Methanol ATAC Engine. Analysis of Cyclic Variation at High Wall Temperature and Lean Burn.

ATAC (Active Thermo-Atmosphere Combustion) is stable in the lean limit, because it is bulk-like and/or nonpropagating combustion caused by self-ignition. In a low-heat-rejection methanol-fueled engine, we investigated the influence of ATAC operation with weakening premixed gas and raising temperature of the combustion chamber wall on cyclic variation of ignition and combustion. We analyzed the cyclic variation of autoignition timing, combustion duration, combustion quantity and instantaneous heat flux on the wall of the combustion chamber, from which we clarified the correlation between autoignition timing and combustion duration, autoignition timing and combustion quantity, and combustion duration and combustion quantity.

5599596 Repulpable hot melt polymer/fatty acid compositions for fibrous products: Sandvick Paul; Verbrugge Calvin J County of Racine, WI, United States assigned to S C Johnson & Son Inc

Using light alcohols in spark-ignition engines can improve energy security and offers the prospect of carbon neutral transport. The properties of these fuels enable considerable improvements in engine performance and pollutant emissions. Whereas most experimental studies have focused on ethanol, this paper provides experimental results gathered on various methanol-fuelled engines. A comparison against gasoline on two flex-fuel engines yielded relative efficiency benefits of about 10% for methanol thanks to more isochoric combustion, less pumping, cooling and dissociation losses. Lower combustion temperatures allowed to reduce engine-out NOx by 5–10 g/kWh. The CO2 values dropped by more than 10%. Alternative load control strategies, employing mixture richness or exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to control load while keeping the throttle wide open, were compared on a single cylinder engine. The EGR strategy seems preferable as it allows to increase part load efficiency up to 5% without sacrificing in terms of tailpipe emissions. Finally, this load control strategy of choice was applied to a turbocharged, high compression ratio engine to demonstrate that methanol can be used in dedicated engines with diesel-like efficiencies (up to 42%) and emission levels comparable to or lower than gasoline engines.