UNS: Autoignition of Liquid Hydrocarbon Droplets in Lean, High Pressure Natural Gas Mixtures Using a Rapid Compression Machine

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

1510550 - Marchese This project will investigate how the Diesel fuel droplet can be ignited under conditions representative of those inside the engine. Because of the very lean combustion conditions, fuel costs and pollutant formation can be reduced from those of traditional diesel or spark ignited engines. The research will involve graduate students, thus preparing them for a research or engineering career. Experimental measurements and chemical kinetic studies are proposed on diesel droplet ignition/combustion in premixed methane-air mixture using a rapid compression machine (RCM) at conditions representative of those of engines, i.e., high pressures and high temperatures. The result will have implication for RCCI (reactivity controlled compression ignition) combustion in that fuel costs and pollutant formation can be reduced from those of traditional diesel or spark ignited engines. The RCCI concept involves combustion of two fuels in each engine cycle, in which one fuel is more difficult to ignite than the other. The true dual fuel combustion where the ambient is a lean mixture of fuel-air will be studied for the first time. The proposed study simplifies several of the steps in RCCI combustion to focus attention on the vaporization and ignition of the more easily ignited component, n-heptane in this proposed study, and its subsequent ability to ignite the main fuel (natural gas, which is relatively cheap, and thus the potential to reduce fuel costs). The investigation will yield much needed RCCI combustion data to help advance the industry.