IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i18p4685-d410783.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Numerical Investigation of a Free-Piston Hydrogen-Gasoline Engine Linear Generator

Author

Listed:
  • Ziwei Zhang

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Huihua Feng

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Zhengxing Zuo

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China)

Abstract

The free-piston engine linear generator (FPELG) is being investigated by many researchers because of its high thermal efficiency and its variable compression ratio. However, all researchers focused on the FPELG characteristics with mono-fuel. Therefore, in this paper, the performance of the FPELG that has adopted gasoline with hydrogen as fuel is investigated. The method of coupling the zero-dimensional dynamics model with the multi-dimensional CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) combustion model was applied during the simulation process. According to the results, the piston TDC (Top Dead Center), the piston peak piston velocity, and the system operation frequency show a negative correlation with the increase of hydrogen fractions. However, the peak in-cylinder pressure was increased with the hydrogen volume fraction increase, due to the fast flame speed and short combustion duration characteristics of hydrogen. Meanwhile, the indicated efficiency of the free-piston engine was increased from 32.3% to 35.3% with the hydrogen volume fraction change from 0% to 4.5%, when the free-piston engine operates at stoichiometric conditions with fixed ignition timing. In addition, with the ignition timing advance increase, the piston TDC was decreased. The peak piston velocity and the peak in-cylinder pressure were in negative correlation with the ignition timing advance. While the engine indicated that the efficiency was increased with the equivalent degree of ignition timing from 20° to 16°. Therefore, the ignition timing of the FPELG under the spark-ignition combustion mode is supposed to be an effective and practical control variable.

Suggested Citation

  • Ziwei Zhang & Huihua Feng & Zhengxing Zuo, 2020. "Numerical Investigation of a Free-Piston Hydrogen-Gasoline Engine Linear Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:18:p:4685-:d:410783
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/18/4685/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/18/4685/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mikalsen, R. & Roskilly, A.P., 2010. "The control of a free-piston engine generator. Part 1: Fundamental analyses," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(4), pages 1273-1280, April.
    2. Guo, Chendong & Zuo, Zhengxing & Feng, Huihua & Jia, Boru & Roskilly, Tony, 2020. "Review of recent advances of free-piston internal combustion engine linear generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    3. Feng, Huihua & Guo, Chendong & Yuan, Chenheng & Guo, Yuyao & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, Anthony Paul & Jia, Boru, 2016. "Research on combustion process of a free piston diesel linear generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 395-403.
    4. Hung, Nguyen Ba & Lim, Ocktaeck & Iida, Norimasa, 2015. "The effects of key parameters on the transition from SI combustion to HCCI combustion in a two-stroke free piston linear engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 385-401.
    5. Mikalsen, R. & Roskilly, A.P., 2009. "Coupled dynamic-multidimensional modelling of free-piston engine combustion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(1), pages 89-95, January.
    6. Mao, Jinlong & Zuo, Zhengxing & Feng, Huihua, 2011. "Parameters coupling designation of diesel free-piston linear alternator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4577-4589.
    7. Yuxi Miao & Zhengxing Zuo & Huihua Feng & Chendong Guo & Yu Song & Boru Jia & Yuyao Guo, 2016. "Research on the Combustion Characteristics of a Free-Piston Gasoline Engine Linear Generator during the Stable Generating Process," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Mikalsen, R. & Roskilly, A.P., 2010. "The control of a free-piston engine generator. Part 2: Engine dynamics and piston motion control," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(4), pages 1281-1287, April.
    9. Jia, Boru & Smallbone, Andrew & Feng, Huihua & Tian, Guohong & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, A.P., 2016. "A fast response free-piston engine generator numerical model for control applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 321-329.
    10. Chiang, Chia-Jui & Yang, Jing-Long & Lan, Shao-Ya & Shei, Tsung-Wei & Chiang, Wen-Shu & Chen, Bo-Liang, 2013. "Dynamic modeling of a SI/HCCI free-piston engine generator with electric mechanical valves," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 336-346.
    11. Jia, Boru & Tian, Guohong & Feng, Huihua & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, A.P., 2015. "An experimental investigation into the starting process of free-piston engine generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 798-804.
    12. Jia, Boru & Mikalsen, Rikard & Smallbone, Andrew & Zuo, Zhengxing & Feng, Huihua & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2016. "Piston motion control of a free-piston engine generator: A new approach using cascade control," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1166-1175.
    13. Jia, Boru & Zuo, Zhengxing & Feng, Huihua & Tian, Guohong & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, A.P., 2016. "Effect of closed-loop controlled resonance based mechanism to start free piston engine generator: Simulation and test results," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 532-539.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shoma Irie & Mitsuhide Sato & Tsutomu Mizuno & Fumiya Nishimura & Kaname Naganuma, 2022. "Effect of Nonlinear Spring Characteristics on the Efficiency of Free-Piston Engine Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-17, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guo, Chendong & Zuo, Zhengxing & Feng, Huihua & Jia, Boru & Roskilly, Tony, 2020. "Review of recent advances of free-piston internal combustion engine linear generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    2. Peng Sun & Chi Zhang & Jinhua Chen & Fei Zhao & Youyong Liao & Guilin Yang & Chinyin Chen, 2016. "Decoupling Design and Verification of a Free-Piston Linear Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-23, December.
    3. Jia, Boru & Smallbone, Andrew & Mikalsen, Rikard & Feng, Huihua & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2017. "Disturbance analysis of a free-piston engine generator using a validated fast-response numerical model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 440-451.
    4. Hung, Nguyen Ba & Lim, Ocktaeck, 2016. "A review of free-piston linear engines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 78-97.
    5. Wang, Yaodong & Chen, Lin & Jia, Boru & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2017. "Experimental study of the operation characteristics of an air-driven free-piston linear expander," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 93-99.
    6. Jia, Boru & Wei, Shuojian & Liu, Chang & Zhang, Zhiyuan & Wei, Yidi & Wang, Jiayu & Feng, Huihua & Zuo, Zhengxing, 2024. "Numerical investigation on the cold-start/restart process of a linear range extender for faster response," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    7. Zhang, Zhiyuan & Feng, Huihua & Jia, Boru & Zuo, Zhengxing & Yan, Xiaodong & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2022. "Identification and analysis on the variation sources of a dual-cylinder free piston engine generator and their influence on system operating characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    8. Xuezhen Wang & Feixue Chen & Renfeng Zhu & Guilin Yang & Chi Zhang, 2018. "A Review of the Design and Control of Free-Piston Linear Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-21, August.
    9. Yan, Xiaodong & Feng, Huihua & Zuo, Zhengxing & Zhang, Zhiyuan & Wu, Limin & Shi, Cheng, 2021. "A study on the working characteristics of free piston linear generator with dual cylinder configuration by different secondary injection strategies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    10. Jia, Boru & Mikalsen, Rikard & Smallbone, Andrew & Zuo, Zhengxing & Feng, Huihua & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2016. "Piston motion control of a free-piston engine generator: A new approach using cascade control," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1166-1175.
    11. Zhang, Chen & Sun, Zongxuan, 2016. "Using variable piston trajectory to reduce engine-out emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 403-414.
    12. Li, Jian & Zuo, Zhengxing & Liu, Wenzhen & Jia, Boru & Feng, Huihua & Wang, Wei & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2023. "Generating performance of a tubular permanent magnet linear generator for application on free-piston engine generator prototype with wide-ranging operating parameters," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    13. Fukang Ma & Shuanlu Zhang & Zhenfeng Zhao & Yifang Wang, 2021. "Research on the Operating Characteristics of Hydraulic Free-Piston Engines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-23, June.
    14. Chi Zhang & Feixue Chen & Long Li & Zhaoping Xu & Liang Liu & Guilin Yang & Hongyuan Lian & Yingzhong Tian, 2018. "A Free-Piston Linear Generator Control Strategy for Improving Output Power," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-21, January.
    15. Yuan, Chenheng & Lu, Jiangchuan & Li, Shilei, 2023. "Thermoelectric coupling effect of secondary injection on gasoline fuel spray and mixing of a free vibration combustion alternator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    16. Boru Jia & Andrew Smallbone & Rikard Mikalsen & K.V. Shivaprasad & Sumit Roy & Anthony Paul Roskilly, 2019. "Performance Analysis of a Flexi-Fuel Turbine-Combined Free-Piston Engine Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-22, July.
    17. Jia, Boru & Smallbone, Andrew & Feng, Huihua & Tian, Guohong & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, A.P., 2016. "A fast response free-piston engine generator numerical model for control applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 321-329.
    18. Feng, Huihua & Guo, Chendong & Yuan, Chenheng & Guo, Yuyao & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, Anthony Paul & Jia, Boru, 2016. "Research on combustion process of a free piston diesel linear generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 395-403.
    19. Zhang, Chen & Sun, Zongxuan, 2017. "Trajectory-based combustion control for renewable fuels in free piston engines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 72-83.
    20. Lim, Ocktaeck & Hung, Nguyen Ba & Oh, Seokyoung & Kim, Gangchul & Song, Hanho & Iida, Norimasa, 2015. "A study of operating parameters on the linear spark ignition engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 746-760.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:18:p:4685-:d:410783. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.