Predictive Model for Combustion with Hydrogen Fumigation in Compression-Ignition Engines

Using hydrogen in compression-ignition internal combustion engines can reduce pollutant emissions and improve performance by enabling faster and more complete combustion. However, it is essential to determine the optimal injection timing and duration for both hydrogen and conventional fuels. These factors are critical in engine modeling analysis. This study aimed to analyze pollutant emissions, combustion, and engine performance with oxyhydrogen fumigation applied to an instrumented Ricardo E6 engine running on diesel fuel. This analysis, necessary for developing a new predictive combustion model, was calibrated with experimental data in the Gamma Technologies Suite (GTS) simulator. The results show four main effects when increasing the oxyhydrogen flow rate from 0 to 2.8 L per minute (LPM), at an indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of 5.3 bar and a speed of 1500 RPM: (I) NOx levels increased by up to 6%, (II) CO2 levels decreased by 8%, (III) combustion durations remained relatively stable, and (IV) brake specific fuel consumption decreased by 8%. Overall, adding hydrogen to the intake flow of the compression-ignition engine reduced CO2 emissions and enhanced indicated thermal efficiency.