Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation

Dual fuel combustion has gained attention as a cost-effective solution for reducing the pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines. The typical approach is combining a conventional high-reactivity fossil fuel (diesel fuel) with a sustainable low-reactivity fuel, such as bio-methane, ethanol,...

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Main Authors: Francesco Scrignoli, Alfredo Maria Pisapia, Tommaso Savioli, Ezio Mancaruso, Enrico Mattarelli, Carlo Alberto Rinaldini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/22/5761
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author Francesco Scrignoli
Alfredo Maria Pisapia
Tommaso Savioli
Ezio Mancaruso
Enrico Mattarelli
Carlo Alberto Rinaldini
author_facet Francesco Scrignoli
Alfredo Maria Pisapia
Tommaso Savioli
Ezio Mancaruso
Enrico Mattarelli
Carlo Alberto Rinaldini
author_sort Francesco Scrignoli
collection DOAJ
description Dual fuel combustion has gained attention as a cost-effective solution for reducing the pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines. The typical approach is combining a conventional high-reactivity fossil fuel (diesel fuel) with a sustainable low-reactivity fuel, such as bio-methane, ethanol, or green hydrogen. The last one is particularly interesting, as in theory it produces only water and NO<sub>x</sub> when it burns. However, integrating hydrogen into stock diesel engines is far from trivial due to a number of theoretical and practical challenges, mainly related to the control of combustion at different loads and speeds. The use of 3D-CFD simulation, supported by experimental data, appears to be the most effective way to address these issues. This study investigates the hydrogen-diesel dual fuel concept implemented with minimum modifications in a light-duty diesel engine (2.8 L, 4-cylinder, direct injection with common rail), considering two operating points representing typical partial and full load conditions for a light commercial vehicle or an industrial engine. The numerical analysis explores the effects of progressively replacing diesel fuel with hydrogen, up to 80% of the total energy input. The goal is to assess how this substitution affects engine performance and combustion characteristics. The results show that a moderate hydrogen substitution improves brake thermal efficiency, while higher substitution rates present quite a severe challenge. To address these issues, the diesel fuel injection strategy is optimized under dual fuel operation. The research findings are promising, but they also indicate that further investigations are needed at high hydrogen substitution rates in order to exploit the potential of the concept.
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spelling doaj-art-d13c8aefa17c4c63b8f1a615481412be2025-08-20T01:53:45ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732024-11-011722576110.3390/en17225761Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical InvestigationFrancesco Scrignoli0Alfredo Maria Pisapia1Tommaso Savioli2Ezio Mancaruso3Enrico Mattarelli4Carlo Alberto Rinaldini5Dipartimento di Ingegneria “Enzo Ferrari”, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Pietro Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria “Enzo Ferrari”, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Pietro Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyAtris Engineering s.r.l., Via Luigi Cherubini 5, 41122 Modena, ItalySTEMS-CNR, Via Guglielmo Marconi 4, 80125 Napoli, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria “Enzo Ferrari”, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Pietro Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria “Enzo Ferrari”, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Pietro Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyDual fuel combustion has gained attention as a cost-effective solution for reducing the pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines. The typical approach is combining a conventional high-reactivity fossil fuel (diesel fuel) with a sustainable low-reactivity fuel, such as bio-methane, ethanol, or green hydrogen. The last one is particularly interesting, as in theory it produces only water and NO<sub>x</sub> when it burns. However, integrating hydrogen into stock diesel engines is far from trivial due to a number of theoretical and practical challenges, mainly related to the control of combustion at different loads and speeds. The use of 3D-CFD simulation, supported by experimental data, appears to be the most effective way to address these issues. This study investigates the hydrogen-diesel dual fuel concept implemented with minimum modifications in a light-duty diesel engine (2.8 L, 4-cylinder, direct injection with common rail), considering two operating points representing typical partial and full load conditions for a light commercial vehicle or an industrial engine. The numerical analysis explores the effects of progressively replacing diesel fuel with hydrogen, up to 80% of the total energy input. The goal is to assess how this substitution affects engine performance and combustion characteristics. The results show that a moderate hydrogen substitution improves brake thermal efficiency, while higher substitution rates present quite a severe challenge. To address these issues, the diesel fuel injection strategy is optimized under dual fuel operation. The research findings are promising, but they also indicate that further investigations are needed at high hydrogen substitution rates in order to exploit the potential of the concept.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/22/5761dual fuel combustionhydrogen3D-CFD simulationfuel injection strategy
spellingShingle Francesco Scrignoli
Alfredo Maria Pisapia
Tommaso Savioli
Ezio Mancaruso
Enrico Mattarelli
Carlo Alberto Rinaldini
Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation
Energies
dual fuel combustion
hydrogen
3D-CFD simulation
fuel injection strategy
title Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation
title_full Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation
title_fullStr Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation
title_short Exploring Hydrogen–Diesel Dual Fuel Combustion in a Light-Duty Engine: A Numerical Investigation
title_sort exploring hydrogen diesel dual fuel combustion in a light duty engine a numerical investigation
topic dual fuel combustion
hydrogen
3D-CFD simulation
fuel injection strategy
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/22/5761
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