Internal combustion engine with thermochemical recuperation fed by ethanol steam reforming products - feasibility study

7th International Conference on Advanced Concepts in Mechanical Engineering

Cesana, O.^1 ; Gutman, M.^1 ; Shapiro, M.^1 ; Tartakovsky, L.^1

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Israel^1

关键词: Efficiency improvement;    Emissions reduction;    Endothermic reactions;    Engine performance;    Ethanol reforming;    Ethanol steam reforming;    Feasibility studies;    Thermochemical recuperation;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/147/1/012109/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1757-899X/147/1/012109

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

This research analyses the performance of a spark ignition engine fueled by ethanol steam reforming products. The basic concept involves the use of the internal combustion engine's (ICE) waste heat to promote onboard reforming of ethanol. The reformer and the engine performance were simulated and analyzed using GT-Suite, Chem CAD and Matlab software. The engine performance with different compositions of ethanol reforming products was analyzed, in order to find the optimal working conditions of the ICE - reformer system. The analysis performed demonstrated the capability to sustain the endothermic reactions in the reformer and to reform the liquid ethanol to hydrogen-rich gaseous fuel using the heat of the exhaust gases. However, the required reformer's size is quite large: 39 x 89 x 73 cm, which makes a feasibility of its mounting on board a vehicle questionable. A comparison with ICE fed by gasoline or liquid ethanol doesn't show a potential of efficiency improvement, but can be considered as a tool of additional emissions reduction.