Influence of gas composition on the combustion and efficiency of a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine system fuelled with methanol reformed gases

A homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine system fuelled with dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol-reformed gas (MRG), both produced from methanol by onboard reformers using exhaust heat, has been proposed in previous research. Adjusting the proportions of DME and MRG with different ignition properties effectively controlled the ignition timing and load in HCCI combustion. The use of the single liquid fuel, methanol, also eliminates the inconvenience of carrying two fuels while maintaining the effective ignition control effect. Because reactions producing DME and MRG from methanol are endothermic, a part of the exhaust gas heat energy can be recovered during the fuel reforming. Methanol can be reformed into various compositions of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The present paper aims to establish the optimum MRG composition for the system in terms of ignition control and overall efficiency. The results show that an increased hydrogen fraction in MRG retards the onset of high-temperature oxidation and permits operation with higher equivalence ratios. However, the MRG composition affects the engine efficiency only a little, and the MRG produced by the thermal decomposition having the best waste-heat recovery capacity brings the highest overall thermal efficiency in the HCCI engine system fuelled with DME and MRG.