Paper presentation

On

Presented by
K. Pandu Ranga Vara Prasad S. Harsha Prasad Lanka

III/IV B.Tech (M.E) III/IV B.Tech (M.E)

E-Mail:prasad06326@yahoo.co.in E-Mail: harsha_lanka2020@yahoo.com

GUDLAVALLERU
ENGINEERING COLLEGE

KRISHNA DISRICT -

ABSTRACT
 The lean combustion of an SI engine has been recognized as one of the
most promising method of further improvement of fuel economy. According to
automotive pollution point of view, exhaust emissions as NOx, CO &HC are reduced
because of abundance of oxygen and lowering of peak temperature.
The present study was aimed at ascertaining the benefits of employing
catalysts in the combustion chamber of an SI engine. In our study we have tried to
combine the concept of catalytic coating and lean burn to improve performance of an SI
engine. The literature study has revealed that there is enormous potential for catalytic
coatings in the automotive engines.
We have chosen 150CC BAJAJ scooter engine in our study because these
two stroke engines are one of the greatest monsters that could demolish the atmosphere.
In our investigation we have used a silver catalyst and nickel catalyst in 150CC engine.
Experiments were conducted using state-of-the-art instrumentation comprising of PC
based engine combustion analyzer equipment and exhaust analyzer.
As the result of coating of catalysts such as nickel and silver the Brake
thermal efficiency of the engine has been increased by nearly 10% to 30%.

The result also indicates the reduction of,

 70% to 90% of CO,
 10% to 20% of HC &
 15% to 25% of fuel consumption.

INTRODUCTION:
Due to the increasing cost and uncertain supply of petroleum in recent
years, there have been strenuous effects to make spark ignition and compression engines
more efficient. One of the most promising methods as far as SI engines are concerned is
the lean burn engine.
There are several methods adopted to burn the lean mixture efficiently.
Recently use of catalysts in the combustion chamber is being investigated to improve the
combustion process by increased chemical activity of the charge prior to ignition.
The catalyst are used in the form of coating on the walls or in any form to
initiate combustion and make it burn faster, then the advantage improved efficiency can
be obtained in addition to lower exhaust emissions.
This new concept of catalytic activation of the charge for lean combustion
has been tried in this work and its effect on the combustion process has been investigated.
The influence of various catalysts such as silver and nickel are determined.

OBJECTIVE OF THIS PAPER:

  To develop a new type of combustion chamber, called catalytic combustion
chamber in order to make the combustion of lean mixture faster.
 To modify the existing combustion chamber suitable for fast burning of lean
mixtures.
 To obtained increased efficiency and lower exhaust emissions.
 To investigate the combustion characteristics of lean mixtures so that it could be
employed later on in the existing engines with minimum modifications at a lower
cost.

CONCEPT OF CATALYTIC COMBUSTION:

THE CATALYST:

First of all, the catalyst must be capable of withstanding continues

and cyclic operation at very high temperatures, ideally as high as 1600’C, without
degradation of either catalyst or physical properties. This requires the use of high
melting point materials with good thermal shock properties; the catalyst must have a
low intrinsic pressure drop. Finally, the catalyst activity must be high enough to
permit catalyst ignition at reasonably low temperatures. This facilitates rapid reliable
light of and stable operation.
Combustor catalyst have been operate at temperature over 1650’C
without loss of low- temperature activity long- term testing of high temperature
catalysts is needed.
With the discovery that heterogeneous catalyst can be used to promote
stable ultra lean thermal combustion at heat release comparable to those of
conventional combustors. It as become feasible to consider catalytic system for
replacement of conventional combustor. In the catalytic combustor, homogeneous
thermal combustion occurring in parallel with heterogeneous reactions at the catalyst
valve is inducted by a hot boundary layer, fixed in space by the catalytic surface.

NICKEL AND SILVER METAL CATALYST IN THE COMBUSTION

CHAMBER:

The use of nickel and silver catalyst in the combustion chamber of an

internal combustion engine that operates with lean burn concept offers an opportunity to
develop an engine emits particularly low level of HC, CO &improved fuel economy.

CONCEPT OF CATALYTIC PRECHAMBER:

 A catalytic prechamber is attractive from the stand –point of controlling all
phase of in-cylinder combustion. Such a prechamber influences both chemical and gas
dynamic processes. It regulates contact between the fresh charge and the catalytic surface
it allows activation to take place in a well-defined volume adjacent to the ignition
sources. It provides a means of independently adjusting the catalytic surface temperature,
and it acts a turbulence generation pot, which intensifies burning o0f the non-activated
portions of the charge.

CONCEPT OF CATALYTIC COATED ENGINE:

A catalytic engine is an internal combustion engine where the heat release

is brought about by the use of a catalyst. This definition includes engines where the
combustion is commenced sustained or aided by the action of a catalyst on the air/fuel
mixture.

ROLE OF COMPRESSION RATIO:

The compression ratio of all internal combustion engines directly affects

the fuel economy. The compression ratio of the petrol engine cannot be raised too much
because of the tendency of the engine to knock. This is a result of premature spontaneous
combustion in the unburnt portion of the charge ahead of the flame front and brought
about by the use of fuel with too low octane number; the octane number being a measure
of the fuel’s resistance to knock in the spark ignition engine. Ignition of the charge before
the spark timing is also a problem under these circumstances.
It has been shown that as the compression ratio of the petrol engine is
increase so its economy increases. In our paper compression ratio was slightly increased
by the catalyst coating.

THE NEW CONCEPT:

There is therefore a need for a method of combustion, which would

enable very lean mixtures to be efficiently oxidized, and operate in an internal combustion
engine at the compression ratio of about 12:1. The concept of the charge is passed through
a catalyst; oxidation can occur even at low temperature and very lean mixtures. Thus all
the fuel should be oxidized and the engine can run unthrottled which should give
economy.
The formation of HC and CO in the combustion chamber is also strongly
dependent on the air/fuel ratio, and lean operation gives reduced emissions of these
pollutants in the exhaust of the engine. The catalyst enables oxidation of HC at much
lower temperature normally possible. So these emissions are also reduced. Another
important advantage of the catalytic engine concept is that it is capable of operating on
many different types of fuels.
COATING DETAILS

ELECTROPLATING COATING TECHNIQUES:

Since the base metal on which the coating applied was alloy aluminum, a
preconditioning of the surface was necessary and it was done by a process called zinc
coating to remove oxide layer to enable the coating to have good bonding with base
metal.
MODIFICATIONS IN THE ENGINE:

The following modifications were made to the engine for the lean combustion of
commercially available gasoline with the carburetion and spark ignition.
 The cylinder heads and pistons were nickel and silver coated.
 A pressure transducer for measuring the pressure was mounted on the cylinder
head.
 A modified carburetor for varying air fuel ratio is mounted to engine.
 A crank angle degree marker (CDM) is coupled to the engine crankshaft to
measure the crank angle.
 An air box to find the air fuel ratio.
 Modems to interface the engine and the computer.
 An eddy dynamometer is coupled to the engine crankshaft to load the engine.
 A fuel flow meter to measure the fuel flow rate.

MODIFICATION IN THE CARBURETTOR:

 Conventional carburetor is modified to obtain different A/F ratio. In order
to obtain a lean mixture the fuel quantity that is inducted into the mixing chamber should
be reduced. For that the main petrol jet should be a variable delivering unit. But in
conventional carburetor the quantity of air and fuel is varied simultaneously so that
constant air fuel ratio is admitted to the engine.
In the conventional carburettor, a slider is used to control the air and a
spindle, which is attached to the slider, is used for controlling the fuel flow.
In the modified carburettor, fuel flow rate is controlled by a separate
spindle. This spindle is threaded to cap of the carburettor and it as a conical section at the
other end. The conical can be moved in the fuel control valve; so that the opening area of
the valve can be controlled which in turn controls the quantity of fuel admitting into the
mixing chamber. The accelerator cable is attached to the slider, which controls only the
air. Thus we obtain a different air-fuel ratio at different positions of the spindle.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENTS:

The list of various special equipment used in this steady are:

• Pressure Transducer.
• Crank degree marker (CDM).
• Eddy current dynamometer.
• Digital tachometer.
• Exhaust gas analyzer.
• Automatic fuel flow meter.
• Avl indimeter software.

CONCLUSIONS:
 Brake thermal efficiency as improved in both nickel and silver coatings by
nearly 10% to 30%.
 Good combustion characteristics indicate an ability to use lean air –fuel ratio.
 In case of exhaust temperature coated engine as the least.
 The benefits of using lean mixtures in S.I. engines are obvious. Better fuel
utilization and lower exhaust emissions are achieved. However, some loss of heat
power output has to be accepted. Catalytic treatment of exhaust gases also can
pose problems due to the low temperature of exhaust gas.
 The result indicates reduction of about 70% to 90% of CO and 10% to 20% of
HC and 15% to 25% of fuel consumption.