Assessing the Suitability of DME for Powering SI Engines by Analyzing In-Cylinder Pressure Change

Area of Science:

• Internal Combustion Engines
• Combustion Science
• Alternative Fuels

Background:

• Dimethyl ether (DME) is explored as a potential fuel additive.
• Understanding its impact on combustion is crucial for engine efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a method for assessing DME's use as a combustion activator.
• To quantify DME's impact on the in-cylinder combustion process.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of in-cylinder pressure changes during LPG-DME fuel combustion.
• Development of a method to evaluate the shift in maximum cylinder pressure.
• Bench testing on a 1.6 dm³ spark ignition (SI) engine.

Main Results:

• A novel method was developed to evaluate DME's combustion impact.
• The shift in maximum cylinder pressure serves as a key evaluation parameter.
• The study provides insights into DME's role in the combustion process.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method effectively assesses DME's influence on combustion.
• DME can be utilized as a combustion activator in IC engines.
• Further research can optimize DME usage for enhanced engine performance.