Operational evaluation of atomization indicators for gasoline with admixtures of ethanol and butanol during Keep-Clean tests

Ireneusz Pielecha; Zbigniew Stępień

doi:10.5604/01.3001.0015.9583

Authors

Ireneusz Pielecha Poznan University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznan Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7340-635X
Zbigniew Stępień Oil and Gas Institute – National Research Institute, Krakow Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0615-6930

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.9583

Keywords:

fuel additives, fuel injection, Keep-Clean tests, fuel atomization, fuel injector deposits, operational evaluation

Abstract

The global policy of reducing road transport sector pollution requires the introduction of significantly modified already in use technologies and construction solutions. Currently, direct fuel injection technology is the best solution in terms of reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions of standard pollutants into the atmosphere, as well as further improving the engine performance. In terms of exhaust emissions, direct injection spark ignition engines are characterized by significantly higher exhaust emissions of particulate matter (approximately 10 times higher) compared to indirect fuel injection SI engines, they show a greater tendency to knocking combustion and are prone to the formation of harmful deposits on engine parts, including in the fuel injectors. The injector tips located in the combustion chamber are exposed to the direct influence of the very high pressure and temperature caused by the combusting fuel-air mixture, which contributes to the rapid formation of harmful deposits. Operation-based injectors contamination in spark ignition engines results in a reduction of the cross-sectional flow diameter of the injector, which then necessitates the extension of the injection time in order to maintain the fuel dose and the expected engine operating parameters. The tests were carried out on an engine dynamometer and an optical test stand for fuel atomization process. The presented research analyzes indicate the possibility of using admixtures that effectively reduce the likelihood of contamination. The paper presents a results analysis of engine tests performed in accordance with the CEC F-113-KC procedure. Additionally, the injectors were tested to conduct an analysis of the injected fuel stream’s geometric indicators. The range, surface area and speed of the injected fuel stream as well as the fuel distribution in the stream were determined based on an equivalent indicator. The obtained results indicated that ethanol and butanol admixtures of 10% (V/V) to gasoline did not significantly extend the fuel injection time as compared to the reference fuel. A further increase in the proportion of ethanol caused a significant deterioration of the fuel flow and the geometric indicators of the fuel spray.

References

Altin, O., Eser, S. (2004). Carbon deposit formation from thermal stressing of petroleum fuels. ACS Division of Fuel Chemistry, 49(2), 764-766.

Andrych-Zalewska, M., Chłopek, Z., Merkisz, J., Pielecha, J., (2022). Analysis of the operation states of internal combustion engine in the Real Driving Emissions test. Archives of Transport, 61(1), 71-88, DOI:10.5604/01.3001.0015.8162

Awad, O., Xiao, M., Kamil, M., Zhou, B., Ali, O.M., Shuai, S. (2021). A review of the effects of gasoline detergent additives on the formation of combustion chamber deposits of gasoline direct injection engines. SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, 14(1), 13-25, 2021, DOI:10.4271/04-14-01-0002.

China, P., Rivere, J.P. (2003). Development of a direct injection spark ignition engine test for injector fouling. JSAE Technical Paper 2003-01-2006, DOI:10.4271/2003-01-2006.

Czerwinski, J., Comte, P., Stepien, Z., Oleksiak, S. (2006). Effects of ethanol blend fuels E10 and E85 on the non‐legislated emissions of a flex fuel passenger car. SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-0977, DOI:10.4271/2016-01-0977.

Dhanji, M., Zhao, H. (2022). Investigations of split injection properties on the spray characteristics using a solenoid high-pressure injector. International Journal of Engine Research. 23(2), 262-284, DOI: 10.1177/1468087420985372.

Donghwan, K., Sungwook, P. (2021). Effects of nozzle hole configuration of a multi-hole type gasoline direct injector on spray development under flash boiling conditions. International Journal of Engine Research, 22(9) 2997-3012, DOI:10.1177/1468087420960026.

DuMont, R.J., Cunningham, L.J., Oliver, M.K., Studzinski, M.K., Galante-Fox, J.M. (2007). Controlling induction system deposits in flexible fuel vehicles operating on E85. SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-4071, DOI:10.4271/2007-01-4071.

DuMont, R.J., Evans, J.A., Feist, D.P., Studzinski, W.M., Cushing, T.J. (2009). Test and control of fuel injector deposits in direct injected spark ignition vehicles. SAE Technical Paper 2009-01-2641, DOI:10.4271/2009-01-2641.

Edney, M.K., Smith, E.F., Wilmot, E., Reid, J., Barker, J., Alexander, M.R., Snape, C.E., Scurr, D.J. (2021). The effect of temperature on the molecular compositions of external and internal gasoline direct injection deposits. SAE Technical Paper 2021-01-1188, DOI:10.4271/2021-01-1188.

Gueit, J., Arondel, M., China, P. (2015). Evaluating injector fouling in direct injection sparkignition engines – a new engine test procedure to evaluate the deposit control performance of base fuels and additivated fuels. 10th International Colloquium Fuels Conventional and Future Energy for automobiles. January 20-22 2015 Technische Akademie Esslingen in Stuttgart/Ostfildern.

Henkel, S., Hardalupas, Y., Taylor, A., Conifer, C., Cracknell, R., Goh, T.K., Reinicke, P.-B., Sens, M., Rieß, M. (2017). Injector fouling and its impact on engine emissions and spray characteristics in gasoline direct injection engines. SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, 10(2), 287-295, DOI:10.4271/2017-01-0808.

Hongliang, L., Keiya, N., Shintaro, U., Youichi, O., Wu, Z., Tatsuya, F. (2020). Effect of spray impingement distance on piston top fuel adhesion in direct injection gasoline engines. International Journal of Engine Research, 21(5), 742-754, DOI: 10.1177/1468087418774175.

Huang, W., Moon, S., Wang, J., Murayama, K., Arima, T., Sasaki, Y., Arioka, A. (2020). Nozzle tip wetting in gasoline direct injection injector and its link with nozzle internal flow. International Journal of Engine Research, 21(2), 340-351, DOI:10.1177/1468087419869774.

Lindgren, R., Skogsberg, M., Sandquist, H., Denbratt, I. (2003). The influence of injector deposits on mixture formation in a DISC SI engine. JSAE Technical Paper 2003-01-1771, DOI:10.4271/2003-01-1771.

Morlan, B., Smocha, R., Lorenz, R. (2020). Predictive models of intake valve and combustion chamber deposit formation tendency based on gasoline fuel composition. SAE Technical Paper 2020-01-2097, DOI:10.4271/2020-01-2097.

Shuai, S., Ma, X., Li, Y., Qi, Y., Xu, H. (2018). Recent progress in automotive gasoline direct injection engine technology. Automotive Innovation, 1, 95-113, DOI:10.1007/s42154-018-0020-1.

Song, H., Xiao, J., Chen, Y., Huang, Z. (2016). The effects of deposits on spray behaviors of a gasoline direct injector. Fuel, 180, 506-513, DOI:10.1016/j.fuel.2016.04.067.

Stępień, Z., Urzedowska, W., Oleksiak, S., Czerwinski, J. (2011). Research on emissions and engine lube oil deterioration of diesel engines with biofuels (RME). SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, 4(1), 125-138, DOI:10.4271/2011-01-1302.

Stępień, Z., Żak, G., Markowski, J., Wojtasik, M. (2021). Investigation into the impact of the composition of ethanol fuel deposit control additives on their effectiveness. Energies, 14, 604, DOI:10.3390/en14030604.

Tabaszewski, M., Szymański, G. M., Nowakowski, T., (2022). Vibration-based identification of engine valve clearance using a convolutional neural network. Archives of Transport, 61(1), 117-131, DOI:10.5604/01.3001.0015.8254.

Taniguchi, S., Yoshida, K., Tsukasaki, Y. (2007). Feasibility study of ethanol applications to a direct injection gasoline engine. SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-2037, DOI:10.4271/2007-01-2037.

Von Bacho, P., Sofianek, J., Galante-Fox, J., Mc-Mahon, C. (2009). Engine test for accelerated fuel deposit formation on injectors used in gasoline direct injection engines. SAE Technical Paper 2009-01-1495, DOI:10.4271/2009-01-1495.

Wang, B., Badawy, T., Jiang, Y., Xu, H., Ghafourian, A., Hang, X. (2017). Investigation of deposit effect on multi-hole injector spray characteristics and air/fuel mixing process. Fuel, 191, 10-24, DOI:10.1016/j.fuel.2016.11.055.

Xu, H., Wang, C., Ma, X., Sarangi, A.K., Weall, A., Krueger-Venus, J. (2015). Fuel injector deposits in direct-injection spark-ignition engines. Progress in Energy Combustion Sciences, 50, 63-80, DOI:10.1016/j.pecs.2015.02.002.