The current work provides a quasi-dimensional model for the combustion of methanol–gasoline blends. New correlations for the laminar burning velocity of gasoline and methanol are developed and used together with a mixing rule to calculate the laminar burning velocity of the blends. Several factors (such as the laminar burning velocity, initial flame kernel, residual gas fraction, turbulence, etc.) have been investigated and the sensitivity of these factors and the used sub-models on the predictive performance was assessed. The simulation results were compared with measurement data from two engines on different gasoline–methanol blends. The results show the importance of the laminar burning velocity correlation, the method of initializing combustion and the turbulent burning velocity model. The newly developed laminar burning velocity correlation of gasoline performed equally or better than the existing correlations and the newly developed correlation of methanol outperformed the other correlations. The initial flame kernel size had a strong influence on the ignition delay. Changing the initial flame kernel to reproduce the same ignition delay was very effective to improve the simulations. Several turbulent combustion models were tested with the newly developed laminar burning velocity correlations and optimized ignition delay. In conclusion, the model of Bradley reproduced the trend going from gasoline to methanol much better than others due to the inclusion of the Lewis number.
VancoillieJDemuynckJSileghemLet al. The potential of methanol as a fuel for flex-fuel and dedicated spark-ignition engines. Appl Energy2013; 102: 140–149.
2.
Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC, 2009.
3.
US Congress. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Public law 110-140, 110th Congress, DOCID: f:publ140.110, 2007.
4.
PearsonRJTurnerJWGPeckAJ. Gasoline-ethanol-methanol tri-fuel vehicle development and its role in expediting sustainable organic fuels for transport. In: IMechE low carbon vehicles conference. London, UK, 20–21 May 2009, pp.89–110. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing.
5.
TurnerJWGPearsonRJPurvisRet al. Gem ternary blends: removing the biomass limit by using iso-stoichiometric mixtures of gasoline, ethanol and methanol. SAE paper 2011-24-0113, 2011 .
6.
PearsonRJEisamanMDTurnerJWGet al. Energy storage via carbon-neutral fuels made from CO2, water, and renewable energy. Proc IEEE2012; 100: 440–460.
7.
SpechtMStaissFBandiAet al. Comparison of the renewable transportation fuels, liquid hydrogen and methanol, with gasoline–energetic and economic aspects. Int J Hydrogen Energy1998; 23: 387–396.
8.
OlahGGoeppertAPrakashG.Beyond oil and gas: the methanol economy. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH, 2006.
9.
GravesCEbbesenSDMogensenMet al. Sustainable hydrocarbon fuels by recycling CO2 and H2O with renewable or nuclear energy. Renew Sustainable Energy Rev2011; 15: 1–23.
10.
SteinbergMDangVD. Production of synthetic methanol from air and water using controlled thermonuclear reactorpower. I. Technology and energy requirement. Energ Convers1977; 17: 97–112.
11.
BandiASpechtMWeimerTet al. CO2 recycling for hydrogen storage and transportation- electrochemical CO2 removal and fixation. Energ Convers Manage1995; 36: 899–902.
12.
StuckiSSchulerAConstantinescuM.Coupled CO2 recovery from the atmosphere and water electrolysis – feasibility of a new process for hydrogen storage. Int J Hydrogen Energy1995; 20: 653–663.
13.
SileghemLCoppensACasierBet al. Performance and emissions of iso-stoichiometric ternary GEM blends on a production SI engine. Fuel2014; 117: 286–293.
14.
TurnerJWGPearsonRJDekkerEet al. Extending the role of alcohols as transport fuels using iso-stoichiometric ternary blends of gasoline, ethanol and methanol. Appl Energy2013; 102: 72–86.
15.
VerhelstSSheppardCGW. Multi-zone thermodynamic modelling of spark-ignition engine combustion – an overview. Energ Convers Manage2009; 50: 1326–1335.
16.
BougrineSRichardS.Modelling and simulation of the combustion of ethanol blended fuels in a SI engine using a 0D coherent flame model. SAE paper 2009-24-0016, 2009.
17.
GülderOL.Burning velocities of ethanol isooctane blends. Combust Flame1984; 56: 261–268.
18.
MaFWangYWangMet al. Development and validation of a quasi-dimensional combustion model for SI engines fuelled by hcng with variable hydrogen fractions. Int J Hydrogen Energy2008; 33: 4863–4875.
19.
PeriniFPaltrinieriFMattarelliE.A quasi-dimensional combustion model for performance and emissions of SI engines running on hydrogen-methane blends. Int J Hydrogen Energy2010; 35: 4687–4701.
20.
Di SarliVBenedettoAD. Laminar burning velocity of hydrogen–methane/air premixed flames. Int J Hydrogen Energy2007; 32: 637–646.
21.
LiuSCuty ClementeERHuTet al. Study of spark ignition engine fueled with methanol/gasoline fuel blends. Appl Therm Eng2007; 27: 1904–1910.
22.
QiDHLiuSQLiuJCet al. Properties, performance, and emissions of methanol–gasoline blends in a spark ignition engine. Proc IMechE Part D: J Automobile Eng2005; 219: 405–412.
23.
YanjuWShenghuaLHongsongLet al. Effects of methanol/gasoline blends on a spark ignition engine performance and emissions. Energy Fuels2008; 22: 1254–1259.
24.
YaoDLingXWuF.Experimental investigation on the emissions of a port fuel injection spark ignition engine fueled with methanolgasoline blends. Energy Fuels2016; 30: 7428–7434.
25.
SileghemLWallnerTVerhelstS.A quasi-dimensional model for SI engines fueled with gasolinealcohol blends: knock modeling. Fuel2015; 140: 217–226.
26.
SileghemLAlekseevVAVancoillieJet al. Laminar burning velocities of primary reference fuels and simple alcohols. Fuel2014; 115: 32–40.
27.
HattrellT.A computational and experimental study of spark ignition engine combustion. PhD Thesis, University of Leeds, UK, 2007.
28.
HerwegRMalyRR.A fundamental model for flame kernel formation in SI engines. SAE paper 922243, 1992.
29.
BlizardNCKeckJC.Experimental and theoretical investigation of turbulent burning model for internal combustion engines. SAE paper 740191, 1974.
30.
TabaczynskiRJTrinkerFHShannonBAS. Further refinement and validation of a turbulent flame propagation model for spark-ignition engines. Combust Flame1980; 39: 111–121.
31.
WahiduzzamanSMorelTSheardS.Comparison of measured and predicted combustion characteristics of a four-valve SI engine. SAE paper 930612, 1993.
32.
VerhelstS.A study of the combustion in hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engines. PhD Thesis, Ghent University, Belgium, 2005.
33.
NefischerANeumannJStanciuAet al. Comparison and application of different phenomenological combustion models for turbo-charged SI-engines. In: Proceedings of the FISITA 2010 world automotive congress, Budapest, Hungary, 30 May 2010. FISITA.
VancoillieJ.Modeling the combustion of light alcohols in spark-ignition engines. PhD Thesis, Ghent University, Belgium, 2013.
36.
Abdel-GayedRGBradleyDLawesM.Turbulent burning velocities: a general correlation in terms of straining rates. Proc R Soc Lond A Math Phys Sci1987; 414: 389–413.
37.
ZimontVL.Gas premixed combustion at high turbulence. turbulent flame closure combustion model. Exp Therm Fluid Sci2000; 21: 179–186.
38.
LipatnikovANChomiakJ.Turbulent flame speed and thickness: phenomenology, evaluation, and application in multi-dimensional simulations. Prog Energy Combust Sci2002; 28: 1–74.
39.
DemesoukasSBrequignyPCaillolCet al. 0d modeling aspects of flame stretch in spark ignition engines and comparison with experimental results. Appl Energy2016; 179: 401–412.
40.
VancoillieJSileghemLVerhelstS.Development and validation of a quasi-dimensional model for methanol and ethanol fueled SI engines. Appl Energy2014; 132: 412–425.
41.
DaiWDavisGCHallMJet al. Diluents and lean mixture combustion modeling for SI engines with a quasi-dimensional model. SAE paper 952382, 1995.
42.
MatthewsRDHallMJDaiWet al. Combustion modeling in SI engines with a peninsula-fractal combustion model. SAE paper 960072, 1996.
43.
SileghemLAlekseevVAVancoillieJet al. Laminar burning velocity of gasoline and the gasoline surrogate components iso-octane, n-heptane and toluene. Fuel2013; 112: 355–365.
44.
GalmicheBHalterFFoucherF.Effects of high pressure, high temperature and dilution on laminar burning velocities and markstein lengths of iso-octane/air mixtures. Combust Flame2012; 159: 3286–3299.
45.
MetghalchiMKeckJC.Burning velocities of mixtures of air with methanol, isooctane, and indolene at high pressure and temperature. Combust Flame1982; 48: 191–210.
46.
SileghemLVancoillieJDemuynckJet al. Alternative fuels for spark-ignition engines: mixing rules for the laminar burning velocity of gasoline-alcohol blends. Energy Fuels2012; 26: 4721–4727.
47.
LancasterD.Effects of engine variables on turbulence in a spark-ignition engine. SAE paper 760159, 1976.
48.
MorelTKeribarR.A model for predicting spatially and time resolved convective heat transfer in bowl-in-piston combustion chambers. SAE paper 850204, 1985.
49.
TakashiHKimitoshiT. Laminar flame speeds of ethanol, n-heptane, iso-octane air mixtures. In: 2006 FISITA conference, Detroit, MI, 3–7 April 2006. FISITA.
50.
GülderOL. Correlations of laminar combustion data for alternative S.I. engine fuels. SAE paper 841000, 1984.
51.
GülderOL.Laminar burning velocities of methanol, ethanol and isooctane-air mixtures. Symp (Int) Combust1982; 19: 275–281.
52.
GülderOL.Laminar burning velocities of methanol, isooctane and isooctane/methanol blends. Combust Sci Technol1983; 33: 179–192.
53.
VancoillieJVerhelstSDemuynckJ.Laminar burning velocity correlations for methanol-air and ethanol-air mixtures valid at SI engine conditions. SAE paper 2011-01-0846, 2011.
54.
ReidRPrausnitzJPolingB.The properties of gases and liquids. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1988.
55.
MorelTRackmilCIKeribarRet al. Model for heat transfer and combustion in spark ignited engines and its comparison with experiments. SAE paper 880198, 1988.
