Effect of the turbulence intensity on knocking tendency in a SI engine with high compression ratio using biogas and blends with natural gas, propane and hydrogen

This research presents the test results carried out in a diesel engine converted to spark ignition (SI) using gaseous fuels, applying a geometry change of the pistons combustion chamber (GCPCC) to increase the turbulence intensity during the combustion process; with similar compression ratio (CR) of the original diesel engine; the increase in turbulence intensity was planned to rise turbulent flame speed of biogas, to compensate its low laminar flame speed. The research present the test to evaluate the effect of increase turbulence intensity on knocking tendency; using fuel blends of biogas with natural gas, propane and hydrogen; for each fuel blend the maximum output power was measured just into the knocking threshold before and after GCPCC; spark timing (ST) was adjusted for optimum generating efficiency at the knocking threshold. Turbulence intensity with GCPCC was estimated using Fluent 13, with 3D Combustion Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations; 12 combustion chamber geometries were simulated in motoring conditions; the selected geometry had the greatest simulated turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and Reynolds number (Re) during combustion. The increased turbulence intensity was measured indirectly through the periods of combustion duration to mass fraction burn 0–5%, 0–50% and 0–90%; for almost all the fuel blends the increased turbulence intensity of the engine, increased the knocking tendency requiring to reduce the maximum output power to keep engine operation just into the knocking threshold. Biogas was the only fuel without power derating by the conditions of higher pressure and higher turbulence during combustion by GCPCC and improve its generating efficiency. Peak pressure, heat release rate, mean effective pressure and exhaust temperature were lower after GCPCC. Tests results indicated that knocking tendency was increased because of the higher turbulent flame speed; fuel blends with high laminar flame speed and low methane number (MN) had higher knocking tendency and lower output power.