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Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

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Design and Retrofitment for Developing Methanol Fuelled Large Bore Engine (EMD 710; 4500 hp) for Locomotive, Marine and Power Generation Applications

India is an agrarian country and produces a considerable amount of agricultural waste and has vast reserve of high ash coal and low-value biomass, which can be used to produce methanol, which can be a potential fuel for diesel locomotives. Methanol has emerged as a potential alternative fuel globally because it can be prepared from high ash coal and low-value biomass, via gasification. It can also be prepared from natural gas, atmospheric CO2, and CO2 emitted by thermal power plants. CO2 extraction from atmosphere or thermal power plants can also reduce India’s contribution to GHG emissions. Methanol is a high octane and low cetane fuel with higher auto-ignition temperature (470°C), as compared to mineral diesel (250-450°C). Therefore, it is difficult to auto-ignite methanol in CI engines without external assistance. It is therefore a preferable fuel for SI engines. However, Methanol can also be used in CI engines with diesel pilot injection, which has relatively higher cetane number. Different methods for utilizing methanol in CI engine are: (i) Introduction of methanol-diesel blend into the engine cylinder via a single injector. Single injector is required for injecting diesel-methanol blend, which is an advantage of this method. However, this method limits the quantity of methanol injected into CI engine because methanol separates from diesel if it’s concentration is more than 10% (v/v). In addition, an emulsifier is needed in case blending of higher methanol fraction is targeted. (ii) Port injection of methanol with direct injection of diesel. (iii) Methanol injected directly into the cylinder with diesel pilot injection. In this approach, diesel pilot is used for igniting methanol. This method can be implemented in the locomotive engine in two different ways. First, use two separate injectors for introduction of methanol and diesel. Second, use a co-axial injector, which is able to introduce both methanol and diesel.  Current research is focusing on the development of Co-Axial injector by following both simulation (1-D and 3-D )and experimental routes.


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Last updated on 1st March, 2020