Reciprocating Engine Research Projects

Interactions of Lubricant Additives on Catalysts for Natural Gas Engines
This joint project with Oak Ridge National Laboratory will provide critical data to help engine, lube oil and catalyst suppliers meet the reliability and maintainability goals of the catalyst systems that would be required for future products developed under the U.S. DOE-sponsored Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems program. There are many pathways that lead to catalyst degradation. Fouling, thermal sintering and poisoning of catalysts as well as engine air/fuel ratio control problems have all been considered. This project will focus on the relationship between engine exhaust constituents linked to natural gas engine lubrication oils and their effect on catalyst poisoning.

GTI’s scope of work includes assistance in securing field-aged catalysts with corresponding engine/lube oil information as well as testing various lube oils in its AVL single-cylinder research engine. Catalysts will also be exposed to engine exhausts for selected lube oils. These tests will characterize the effects of lube oil additives on engine emissions and catalyst deactivation as a function of engine load, lube oil ash and sulfur content as well as certain additives used to reduce friction.

Industrial partners include Cummins, Waukesha, Caterpillar, Chevron-Oronite, Exxon-Mobil, MIRATECH and DCL International.

The product of this research and development program is a laboratory-validated design for a recuperative reforming reactor capable of achieving very high efficiencies for recovery and utilization of waste heat for the reforming of natural gas. Current sponsors include members of the Utilization Technology Development, NFP. The companies sponsoring this project include SoCalGas, National Fuel, Atmos Energy, Questar and Energen. Additional future funding support from the California Energy Commission, Cummins, Inc and DOE is being sought.

Part of the project scope of work entails developing conceptual designs of thermo-chemical fuel reformers for large, stationary engines used in distributed generation. To guide this work, GTI is utilizing results from process and engine modeling of thermo-chemical fuel reforming for a Cummins QSK60G engine.

The laboratory validation of thermo-chemical fuel reforming reactor designs is initially conducted using simulated engine exhaust gases. Plans for scale-up testing include the use of actual engine exhaust from the GTI research engine.

> High-Efficiency, Clean Combustion System for Reciprocating Engines

Evaluation of Technical Feasibility of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) Engine Fueled with Hydrogen, Natural Gas, and DME
The objective of this DOE-NETL project is to confirm, at laboratory scale, the feasibility of using blends of hydrogen and natural gas to improve the performance, efficiency, and emissions of a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine. The project team will utilize both engine simulation and laboratory testing to evaluate two novel technical approaches to achieve the project objectives: (1) add dimethyl ether (DME) to blends of hydrogen and natural gas to improve control of HCCI combustion and (2) use micro-pilot Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthetic diesel fuel injection to handle the cold start of the HCCI engine. In the proposed work, hydrogen will help to extend the operating range of the HCCI engine and decrease regulated emissions significantly, while DME will play a major role in controlling the auto-ignition timing of the HCCI combustion. Micro-pilot F-T diesel fuel injection during cold start, a significant problem for HCCI engines, will enable the HCCI engine to operate at very light loads with significantly lower HC and CO emissions.

GTI will use a state-of-the art single-cylinder engine test platform for the experimental evaluation of the HCCI engine efficiency and emissions. Ricardo, Inc. will support GTI as we utilize their engine performance simulation program, WAVE, to optimize HCCI combustion and support the HCCI engine testing. Prof. David Foster of University of Wisconsin-Madison, with more than 20 years experience in HCCI engine testing and modeling, will help guide the project team.

If successfully developed, the thermal efficiency of the HCCI engine will be up to 20% higher than that of a conventional natural gas engine, while maintaining an equivalent power output. Oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) emissions will be decreased more than 70%, and hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions will be equivalent to or lower than conventional natural gas engines. Furthermore, HC and CO emissions will be significantly lower than other HCCI concepts, particularly at very light loads. The project hopes to confirm that an HCCI engine can provide efficient and clean power generation using coal-derived hydrogen as a portion of the fuel.

Demonstration of a Real-Time Compliance Assurance Monitoring (CAM) System for Stationary Reciprocating Engines
GTI and Compliance Controls, LLC of Tulsa, OK will demonstrate that a Compliance Assurance Monitoring (CAM) System that relies entirely upon real-time information supplied by engine/catalyst system measurements of critical engine operating parameters on rich-burn, natural gas engines would ensure that emissions are maintained at or below the permitted emissions limitations. The CAM system receives and processes signals from the engine’s air/fuel ratio (AFR) controller, spark ignition system, standard engine monitoring points for pressure and temperature, and sensors included with the engine/catalyst system. In addition to supplying alarms, maintenance alerts and diagnostic information to operators and technicians, the CAM system will include data-logging that can be used to document that the engine/catalyst system is operating within prescribed ranges essential for acceptable emissions.

The CAM system will include user-friendly display screens for viewing real-time data and trends of key engine and catalyst system parameters. Provisions for remote monitoring capability would also be included in the field-ready package.

In this project, the CAM system will be packaged and demonstrated on a rich-burn engine equipped with NSCR. However, similar technology can also be developed and applied to lean-burn engines.

Technical and Economic Feasibility of Thermochemical Recuperation for Compressor Engines
Approximately 60% of the total installed capacity of 12 million horsepower of pipeline compressor station engines used to transport and distribute natural gas within New York State and the U.S. are reciprocating internal combustion engines. These engines are typically only 30-33% efficient. Natural gas ratepayers currently pay for the fuel consumed by these engines.

With higher gas prices, the payback period for capital investments resulting in reduced fuel consumption is shortened. Accordingly, engine manufacturers and service companies are pursuing retrofit technologies to increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption by offering improved turbocharging and improved combustion controls. However, more than 40% of the input fuel energy is still lost as waste heat through the engine exhaust. GTI believes that this waste energy can be used to to increase system efficiencies and reduce fuel requirements.

The team of Dresser Rand, GTI and National Fuel Gas (the DGN Team) will evaluate the business case for an innovative technology to reduce fuel consumption and emissions from pipeline compressor engines in NY State and the rest of the United States. This novel technology uses (recuperates) heat from the engine exhaust to thermochemically reform natural gas. The composition and increased energy flow of the reformed fuel gas provides improved combustion stability, higher efficiency, and lower emissions. At the end of the 12-month project, the DGN Team will conduct modeling analysis and initial market assessment for a recuperative reforming reactor based on the test engine at Dresser’s manufacturing facility in Painted Post, NY.

Assuming that the proposed project confirms the performance and business case for thermo-chemical recuperation (TCR), the DGN Team plans to propose follow-on work to NYSERDA or other funding sponsors (California Energy Commission and U.S. DOE) that would lead to a prototype TCR for testing at Dresser-Rand, and a full-scale field demonstration at a National Fuel Gas compressor station.