natural gas engine research at colorado state university vgf (f18gld) • knock (detonation) limits...

Natural Gas Engine Research at Colorado State University

Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) EGSA Fall Conference, September 14th, 2015

Daniel B. Olsen, Associate ProfessorMechanical Engineering Department

Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, Colorado, USA

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Energy Institute at Colorado State University

Research

EnterpriseEducation & Outreach

Create innovative energy solutions through cross-disciplinary and entrepreneurial approaches

Mission

• Provide opportunities and support to faculty members and students

• Foster linkages across University

• Provide a portal for external partnersto connect with CSU expertise

• Facilitate large scale application of energy ideas and innovation

Key Strategies

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Energy Centers and Programs

Energy Centers ProgramsResearch

Technology to Market

Education and Outreach

Strategic Partnerships

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The Powerhouse Energy Campus

• A facility of the Energy Institute at CSU

• 100,000 sq. ft. of project, office, and classroom space

• Facility includes Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory, Electric Power Systems Laboratory, and Laser Sensing and Diagnostics Laboratory

• Fourth floor incubator, start-up, office space

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The Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory at the Powerhouse Energy Campus

• More than 2 decades of delivering solutions to meet the global energy challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century.

• Focus on market-driven solutions for industry: Engines, Fuels, Energy Conversion, Energy Distribution

• 24,000 sq.ft. world class facility: large-bore engine lab; diesel lab; grid-based renewable energy lab

• 25regularfaculty• 6specialfaculty• 18researchstaff• 5administrativestaff

• 859 ME undergraduates• 157 Dual-degree ME/Biomed• 1016 Total undergraduates• 58 MS, 47 PHD• 30 ME (Master of Engineering)• 135 Total Graduate Students

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* Track III will be changing names in the fall 2015 to IDP+ (Integrated Degree Programs Plus).

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http://www.engr.colostate.edu/me/

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• 9GraduateStudents 1PhD,8MS– ChrisVanRoekel,JenniferVaughn,ArunachalamLakshminarayanan,BenjaminNeuner,ChrisPage,JohnLadd,PreranaGhotge,RobbieMitchel,TroyNygren

• 5UndergraduateStudents 2sophomores,1junior,2seniors– MaryStevens,DevinLink,JohnFinke,BrigidMcCreery,MaxBeard

• 1visitingscholar GermanAmadorDiaz:UniversidaddelNorte,Columbia

• Largeindustrialnaturalgasinternalcombustionengines

• Pollutantemissionsreductiontechnologies– highenergyignitionsystems,fuelinjectionsystems,exhaustaftertreatment,controlsystems

• Gaseousbiofuelsandfuelvariability–combustioncharacterization,emissionsimpacts;producergas,digestergas,shalegas

• Liquidbiofuels– combustioncharacterization,emissionsimpacts,durabilitytesting

1314 September 201513

Large Engines

at the EECL

Cooper-Bessemer GMV

Waukesha VGFCaterpillar 3516C

Caterpillar 3508Cummins QSK19

Superior 6G-825

Waukesha VHP

Cummins QSK19G

Cummins QSK19

Cummins QSK50

Engines outlined in blue are currently installed (Sept 2015).

Caterpillar 3412

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5-Gas Analyzer

Rack

Nicolet 6700 FTIR

Some Key Measurement CapabilitiesPartial Dilution Tunnel

ECM AF Recorder

Varian CP-4900 MicroGCHP 5890

Series II GC

• InvestigationofDualFuelandItsEffectsonLubricantPerformance,ChevronOronite.

• InvestigationofaGasFuelConditioningSystemforAlternativeGasFuels,CumminsInc.

• EvaluationofEthanolSubstitutioninDieselEngines,ColoradoCorn.• FieldEvaluationofTimedPowerCylinderLubeOilInjection,

PipelineResearchCouncilInternational.• VariableFuelCompositionAirFuelRatioControlofLeanBurn

Engines,PipelineResearchCouncilInternational.• NSCRCatalystTestinginSupportofKSUModelingEffort,PRCI.• FieldEvaluationofOxidationCatalystDegradationona2‐Stroke

Lean‐BurnNGEngine,PipelineResearchCouncilInternational.• ImpactofH2‐NGBlendingonLambdaSensorNSCRControland

LeanBurnEmissions,SouthernCaliforniaGas.

Major Natural Gas Compressor Stations,2008, Interstate + Intrastate

http://205.254.135.7/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngpipeline/images/compressorMap.gif

12 Cylinder Cooper GMV

8 Cylinder Cooper V-275

Click for animation,Clark TLA-6

35 -56 cm bore

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NSPS Quad J, Federal Register/Vol. 73, No. 13, Jan 2008/Rules and Regulations.

20Natural Gas Fuel for Drilling & Completions Symposium, American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC), Houston, Texas, Nov. 4-5, 2013.

High engine-out NOx and CO emissions. 3-way catalyst required.

Highest efficiency, BMEP. Low emissions without catalyst. Engine must be controlled

between detonation and misfire limits.

Efficiency Trends

21Heywood, J. B., “Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals”, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1988.

34%

35%

36%

37%

38%

39%

40%

41%

42%

100 150 200 250 300 350 400

bmep (psi)

Increasing boost & power at constant A/F

• Higher power density (bmep) results in higher efficiency

• Higher compression ratio yields higher efficiency

Waukesha VGF (F18GLD)

• Knock (detonation) limits compression ratio and bmep of engine

• Fuel quality determines knock limit

Fuel A Knock Limit

Fuel B Knock Limit

Efficiency

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PV Diagrams Stable Combustion

PV Diagrams Near Lean Limit

IMEP Stable Combustion

IMEP Near Lean Limit

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PRECOMBUSTION CHAMBERS

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Precombustion Chamber (PCC) CharacterizationInstrumentationPort

Fuel Supply

Checkvalve

PCC Nozzle

Cooper – Bessemer GMV-4TF

Diesel Supply Co. Screw-in-

Prechamber

Justin M. Lisowski, Daniel B. Olsen, and Azer P. Yalin, “Visible Flame Imaging of Prechamber Initiated Combustion in a Large Bore Natural Gas Engine”, GMRC Gas Machinery Conference, Oklahoma City, OK, October 2006.

PCCs extend the lean limit and accelerate and stabilize combustion.

• Precombustionchamber PCC ignitionstabilizescombustionandreducesvariability

• Extendsleanlimitbyallowingoperationathigherboostatconstantload

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300 rpm, 440 bhp, LPP 18 deg ATDC

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 5 10 15 20 25

Boost (inches Hg)

SDPP

(psi

)

HP Check Valve PCC

Spark HP Fuel Injection

Daniel B. Olsen, Jessica L. Adair, and Bryan D. Willson, “Precombustion Chamber Design and Performance Studies for a Large Bore Natural Gas Engine”, ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division 2005 Spring Technical Conference, Paper # ICES2005-1057, April 5-7, 2005,Chicago, IL.

Fused silica window

High speed photography equipment

Optical access in head in bored out air start port

Camera view angle

Precombustion Chamber Jet Visualization

Justin M. Lisowski, Daniel B. Olsen, and Azer P. Yalin, “Visible Flame Imaging of Prechamber Initiated Combustion in a Large Bore Natural Gas Engine”, GMRC Gas Machinery Conference, Oklahoma City, OK, October 2006.

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 1

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 2

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 3

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 4

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 5

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 6

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 7

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 8

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 9

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 10

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 11

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 12

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 13

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 14

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 15

Optimal PCC Fueling (≈20psi, 8SLPM)

Point 16

Estimating jet penetration

35.0°

Enables quantification of flame development

PCC Design Study

Simpson, D. and Olsen, D.B., “Precombustion Chamber Design for Low NOx Emissions from Large Bore NG Engines” Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, Vol. 132, No. 12, August 2010.

Note: 54 cc = 1.6% of Clearance Vol.; 8.6 cc = 0.25% of Clearance Vol.

Results: NOx vs. CO

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20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0 50 100 150 200 250

NO

x pp

m @

15%

O2

CO ppm @ 15% O2Baseline Multiple Nozzle Fueled Micro ePCC

4848

Checkvalve

PCC Volume

PCC Nozzle

Sparkplug

Sparkplug

PCC Volume

PCC Nozzles

Checkvalve

Baseline DesignNew Design – Fueled Micro PCC

HIGH PRESSURE FUEL INJECTION

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“Low Pressure” Gas Admission

Richregion

Leanregion

Fueldisplaces

air

richlean

richrich

rich rich

stoich

stoich

stoich

stoich

stoich

Fuel Injection

• At time of spark (end of simulation), fuel and air and not fully mixed

• Improved fuel injection technique is needed

Dresser-Rand / WoodwardHPFi System

Also commercialized by Hoerbiger Corp.

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High Pressure Fuel Injection

Performance Benefits

GASEOUS FUEL CHARACTERIZATION

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CFR Engine – MN Measurement

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62.4

30.0

61.570.2 66.3

23.9

139.1 139.6

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20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1, ReformedNatural Gas

2, Coal Gas 3, Wood Gas 4, Wood Gas 5, DigesterGas

6, Landfill Gas 7, ReformedNatural Gas

8, Coal Gas

Met

hane

Num

ber

Typical Natural Gas

# Test Gas %CH4 %H2 %N2 %CO %CO2

1 Reformed Natural Gas 39.7 46.7 0.8 0.9 11.9

2 Coal Gas * 24.8 16.3 58 1 3 Wood Gas 10 40 3 24 23 4 Wood Gas 1 31 35 18 15 5 Digester Gas 60 * 2 * 38 6 Landfill Gas 60 * * * 40

7 Reformed Natural Gas 1.2 30.8 49.0 15.6 3.4

8 Coal Gas 7 44 * 43 6

• Current work with Caterpillar• Measure MN for syngas blends• Examine other metrics

o Boost requirementso De-ratingo Critical compression

ratioo Combustion statisticso Knock statistics

MN Measurement for Producer Gas Blends

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ENGINE CONTROL WITH NOX SENSORS

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5814 September 2015

Broad perspective and Overall Project Goals:• Smaller (1500 hp and lower) natural gas engines used for power generation, water

pumping, and gas compression are often stoichiometric engines.

• These engines have high utilization factors, often running 24/7 through most of the year.

• They use a 3-way, or NSCR, catalyst similar to what is used in most US automobiles.

• The objectives of this work are:

Determine the feasibility of using a minimization algorithm with a NOx sensor to control Non-Selective Catalytic Reduction (NSCR) catalyst systems

Demonstrate that that we can achieve strict CARB 2007 fossil fuel emissions levels.

Engine Configuration

Continental NOx Sensor Behavior

NOx Sensor Feedback AFR Control

NOx sensor closed loop operation turned on at

rich starting point

NOx sensor closed loop operation turned on at

lean starting point

DUAL FUEL ENGINE RESEARCH

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DualFuelEngineSetup:JohnDeer6.8literT2

9/14/2015

Natural gas metered into air intake between air filter and turbocharger compressor inlet.

6514 September 2015

Natural Gas Substitution

% , x 100

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 50 100 150 200

NaturalGasSubstitution(%

)

Power(kW)

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CO, NOx Comparison

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5

10

15

20

25

30

0 50 100 150 200

BrakeSpecificEm

isions[g/bkW

‐hr]

Power[kW]

DieselCODualFuelCODieselNOxDualFuelNOx

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ISO Weighted Emissions

6814 September 2015

ISO Weighted EmissionsRegulated Emissions

Optimized %NG Substitution

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

12% 25% 50% 75% 100%

NG Sub

stitu

tion (%

)

Load

Baseline

Optomized

0% NGSubstitution

Optimized

Oxidation Catalysts: NGEngine Testing

Approximate Diesel Engine Exhaust TemperatureRange 400-1200

Daniel B. Olsen, Benjamin Neuner, Koushik Badrinarayanan, and Gregg Arney, “Performance Characteristics of Oxidation Catalysts for Lean-Burn Natural Gas Engines”, 2013 Gas Machinery Conference, October 6-9, 2013.

To meet T2 CO limit, 70% CO reduction is required.

Oxidation Catalysts: NGEngine Testing

Approximate Diesel Engine Exhaust TemperatureRange 400-1200

To meet T2 (NOx+NMHC) limit, 75% NMHC reduction is required.

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Contact: Daniel B. OlsenAssociate ProfessorMechanical Engineering Department(970) 491-3580daniel.olsen@colostate.eduhttp://www.energy.colostate.edu/p/powerhouse-energy-campus