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Impact of Spray Cone Angle on the Performances of Methane/Diesel RCCI Engine Combustion under Low Load Operating
Fathi Hamdi1, Senda Agrebi1,2, Mohamed Salah Idrissi1
1Research Unit of Mechanical Modeling, Energy and Materials, National School of Engineers of Gabes, University of Gabes, UR17ES47, Gabes 6029, Tunisia.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 28, 2022
Summary
Optimizing spray cone angles in Reactivity Controlled Combustion Ignition (RCCI) engines improves performance and reduces emissions. An angle between 15° and 20° offers the best balance for exergy efficiency and lower pollutant formation.
Area of Science:
- * Combustion science and engine technology.
- * Computational fluid dynamics and numerical simulations.
Background:
- * Reactivity Controlled Combustion Ignition (RCCI) is a dual-fuel combustion strategy.
- * Spray characteristics significantly influence combustion behavior and emissions in RCCI engines.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To numerically investigate the impact of spray cone angles on RCCI engine performance and emissions.
- * To determine the optimal spray cone angle for enhanced exergy efficiency and reduced pollutant formation.
Main Methods:
- * Numerical simulations using Ansys-forte with RNG K-epsilon turbulence and Kelvin-Helmholtz/Rayleigh-Taylor spray breakup models.
- * Modeling of methane/diesel combustion with n-heptane as a surrogate fuel.
- * Analysis of heat transfer flux, pressure, temperature, Heat Release Rate (HRR), Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD), and exergy balance.
Main Results:
- * A spray cone angle of 5° resulted in an approximate 8% pressure decrease compared to experimental data (10°).
- * Wider spray cone angles led to increased Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions.
- * Optimal exergy efficiency, performance, and emissions were observed for spray cone angles between 15° and 20°.
Conclusions:
- * Spray cone angle is a critical parameter for optimizing RCCI engine operation.
- * An optimal spray cone angle range (15°-20°) balances engine performance, exergy efficiency, and emissions.
- * Further research can leverage these findings for cleaner and more efficient dual-fuel engine designs.
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