Effect of fuel oxygen on the trade-offs between soot, NOx and combustion efficiency in premixed low-temperature diesel engine combustion

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) 2013-10, Vol.112, p.459-465
• Main Authors: Zhu, Haoyue, Bohac, Stanislav V., Nakashima, Kohei, Hagen, Luke M., Huang, Zhen, Assanis, Dennis N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Combustion efficiency; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Engines and turbines; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel oxygen; Fuels; Nitric oxides; Soot; Trade-off
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2013.05.023

•Effect of fuel oxygen on soot/NOx/combustion efficiency trade-offs is investigated.•Soot emission is reduced as fuel oxygen increases.•Low soot, low NOx and high combustion efficiency are achieved with a 15% oxygen fuel. The effect of fuel oxygen on the trade-offs between soot, nitric oxides (NOx) and combustion efficiency in a premixed low-temperature combustion (LTC) mode using boost, single late injection and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is investigated in a single cylinder diesel engine. NOx, carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions are dominated by intake dilution level (EGR rate), and not affected by fuel oxygen. For fuels with 0% and 7% fuel oxygen, soot exhibits a maximum at moderate intake dilution. When high intake dilution is used to reduce soot, combustion efficiency drops, demonstrating a soot versus combustion efficiency trade-off. When fuel oxygen is increased to 15%, soot is very low (maximum filter smoke number (FSN)