PLC controlled single cylinder diesel-LPG engine

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) 2014-08, Vol.130, p.273-278
• Main Authors: Ergenç, Alp Tekin, Koca, Deniz Özde
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advance; Applied sciences; Diesel engine; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Engines and turbines; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Injection; LPG; PLC
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2014.04.016

•Electronic injection system increases the quality of the combustion.•We controlled all injectors by Programmable Logic Controller.•A PLC is an unorthodox solution for engine control systems.•The maximum cylinder pressure raises with the LPG addition.•Reducing the injection advance before the TDC caused lower maximum power. The main purpose of this work is to convert the mechanical injection system of a single cylinder diesel engine to an electronically controlled dual-fuel system. The new system consist two different injectors. First injector supplies the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) , the other one supplies the diesel. LPG is supplied via a port fuel injection system located in the intake port of the engine and the diesel injected directly into the combustion chamber before top dead center (TDC). All injectors were controlled by Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). After the adaptation and tests, the single cylinder Lombardini LDA 450type diesel engine was modified to a high pressured PLC controlled dual-fuel research engine.