John Houseman

A Two-Charge Engine Concept: Hydrogen Enrichment

The first engine dynamometer test results are presented for a modified fuel system based on hydrogen enrichment for a V-8 I.C. engine. The hydrogen is produced in a compact onboard generator from gasoline and air. Relative to the stock 1973 350 CID engine, an approximate 10 percent reduction in brake specific fuel consumption was measured over the entire level road load speed range. For the same condition, NO x emissions were reduced to below the equivalent 1977 EPA Standards.

Sampling nitric oxide from combustion gases.

Experimental study of several sampling tube and probe material compositions and designs aimed at preventing nitric oxide reduction when sampling nitric oxide from combustion gases. A 250,000 Btu/h furnace fired with technical grade methane was used for testing the sampling probes over a wide range of air-fuel mixtures. The results obtained include the finding that the use of stainless steel in probes creates inaccuracies in near-stoichiometric and fuel-rich sampling in hydrocarbon flames. For very fuel-rich flames, water cooling is needed even in quartz probes to prevent significant reduction of nitric oxide.-

GASIFICATION OF DIESEL FUEL FOR A LOW-EMISSION, HIGH-EFFICIENCY ENGINE SYSTEM

This paper presents the concept of gasified diesel fuel as a potential solution to the diesel engine emissions problem, especially the particulates. The concept employs two-stage combustion. Results of the analysis indicate up to 10 percent improvement in overall system efficiency over conventional diesel engines. Experiments on a catalytic gasifier show that complete gasification of diesel fuel is possible without soot or particulate formation.

Methanol decomposition bottoming cycle for IC engines

This paper presents the concept of methanol decomposition using engine exhaust heat, and examines its potential for use in the operation of passenger cars, diesel trucks, and diesel-electric locomotives. Energy economy improvements of 10-20% are calculated over the representative driving cycles without a net loss in power. Some reductions in exhaust emissions are also projected.

Two-Stage Combustion for Low Emissions without Catalytic Convertors

The concept of using two-stage combustion in a spark ignition engine has been tested in a single cylinder CFR engine. The engine was operated over an equivalence ratio range of 1.5 to 2.2 to evaluate the first stage of combustion. The product gas was analyzed for H/sub 2/, CO, CO/sub 2/, and hydrocarbons. An atmospheric burner was operated with gasoline over the same equivalence ratio range of 1.5 to 2.2, and the resulting product gases were then burned in the CFR engine to test the second stage of combustion. Emissions of NO/sub x/, HC and CO of 0.1, 0.1, and 5 gm/IHP-hr were measured respectively. The engine indicated efficiency for the two-stage mode was essentially the same as for the single-stage mode.