Experimental study on performance optimization of dual fuel engine using acetylene diesel fuel

Abstract

Concern about long-term supplies of conventional hydrocarbon based fuel and the growing awareness of environmental consequences of increasing exhaust emission products from automobile engines and other energy conversion devices has motivated the search for suitable environmental friendly alternative fuel. One approach in this direction is to utilize gaseous fuel in diesel engines in dual fuel mode. In the present work, acetylene has been chosen as an alternative fuel. It has excellent combustion properties but its utilization in internal combustion engine is hindered due to preigniton and backfire problem. An electronically controlled injection system was developed to inject the required quantity of water/DEE into the port during the suction stroke to reduce NOx emissions and enhance acetylene-diesel combustion. With the developments in gas injection technology, it has become possible to control precisely the injection of gas for safe operation. Experiments were also conducted with manifold and port injection of acetylene in dual fuel mode. An electronically controlled gas injection system was developed to inject acetylene during the intake stroke. Overall, it is concluded that maximum of 33 % of diesel energy was replaced by acetylene in carburetion technique and 24 % replacement was possible in timed manifold injection technique. Nevertheless, carburetion technique suffered severe knocking with lower thermal efficiency with high NOx emissions. In injection technique, performance was nearer to diesel operation with reduced NOx, HC and CO emissions due to lean operation without any possibility of backfire. Hence, injection technique is suggested for safe and efficient way to operate dual fuel engine with acetylene gas as an alternative fuel for diesel engine. newline newline newline