www.cafetinnova.

org
Indexed in
Scopus Compendex and Geobase Elsevier, Chemical
Abstract Services-USA, Geo-Ref Information Services-USA

ISSN 0974-5904, Volume 05, No. 06 (01)


December2012,P.P.1745-1749

#02050636 Copyright 2012 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved.
A Study of Conversion Diesel Engine to Fully Biogas Engine with
Electronically Controlled
NGUYEN NGOC DUNG
VNU-HCMC Key Lab for Internal Combustion Engine, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, 268 Ly Thuong
Kiet street, district 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Email: dungnn2@hcmut.edu.vn


Abstract: The using of biogas is growing very fast in the south region of Vietnam owing to its benefit in reducing
environmental pollution and improving local economic. The main objective of this research was to convert a
conventional direct-injection compression-ignition engine to a completely biogas engine. A prototype gaseous
engine was modified from a direct-injection, 4-cylinder diesel engine. Injector nozzles were replaced by spark plugs
and spark-ignition system with high-voltage was installed to ignite mixture. Biogas mixer system (venturi type) with
electronically control was applied to replace diesel fuel system in order to supply gaseous fuel to the engine. In
addition, engine management system with electronically controlled was used to control air-to-fuel ratio, ignition
timing according to engine speed and load. The result showed that conversion biogas-based-diesel engine could
operate fully with biogas (CH
4
62%) at high compression ratio (=17). The result from this research contributes for
the development of high-efficiency biogas engines in Vietnam.

Keywords: Biogas Engine, Venturi Mixer, High-Voltage Ignition System and High-efficiency.


Introduction:

The using of biogas is growing very fast in the south
region of Vietnam owing to its benefit in reducing
environmental pollution and improving local economic.
Biogas is applying for home cooking, heating, and
fuelled for internal combustion engine. By its
advantages, central government has encouraged to apply
biogas in the whole country as a positive way to solve
the problem of energy security and environmental
problem for Vietnam.

Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces have high
potential in applying biogas as an alternative fuel owing
to its located of many big pig farms. According to
government regulation, farm owners have to build
biogas digesters to treat animal waste disposal and to
protect local environment. The increases of biogas
digesters contribute to the development of biogas
application in local community, which help improve
local economics and reduce environment pollution.
However, the application of biogas in those provinces
do not relevant to its potential and prospective owing to
the limitation of research and technology transfer. The
limitation of applying biogas may cause by the
following reasons:

- Clean biogas: Most of biogas systems use directly raw
biogas. The raw gas contains a large amount of H
2
S.
This is a harmful gas, which can cause corrosion metal
surfaces and destroying engine and application system;
- Low biogas conversion efficiency: Biogas has been
applying for internal combustion engine in order to
supply energy for electric generator, water pump...
Biogas engine has very low engine efficiency due to its
converted from the spark-ignition engine. In addition,
the engine is easily broken and corrosive by the raw
biogas. Many farmers stop using biogas engine due to
its problems without technical support from the expert;
- Large application: Many big biogas digesters has been
built and requested for large application. However, the
research/system for large biogas application is lacked in
Vietnam and required the action from researchers and
the university;

Biogas has been applying for internal combustion
engines widely in Vietnam. Biogas engine is converted
from old spark-ignition engine (gasoline engine). The
biogas-based-gasoline engine is contributing for
economic development in rural area. Regularly, biogas
engine is using for electric generator, water pump and
normally operates at low engine speed conditions
(around 1500 rpm). Therefore, the conversion biogas-
based-gasoline engine has low engine efficiency and
generates low power output (<20 kW) compared to the
original one (maximum power >60 kW). In order to get
higher engine efficiency and higher power output, it
required running engine at high-speed condition.
However, the increase power output does not direct
proportion to the engine speed or energy supply.
Therefore, engine efficiency becomes worse at higher
1746
NGUYEN NGOC DUNG
International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Vol. 05, No. 06 (01), December 2012, pp. 1745-1749
engine speed and increases tail pipe exhaust gas
emissions.

Biogas-based-diesel engine may be a suitable solution
to overcome the concern problems. At normal
condition, conventional diesel operates at low and
medium speeds and it has been widely applied for
electric generator. Owning to similar characteristics, the
conversion biogas-based-diesel engine for generator
does not need too much change. In addition, the
conventional diesel was manufactured with high
compression ratio, high quality material; therefore, the
conversion biogas engine is expected with higher
thermal efficiency and longer using time. Furthermore,
the biogas-based-diesel engine has the advantages that it
can apply for various size of engine from small to big
size (over 50 kW).

Popularly, there are three technologies to converse the
conventional engine to the biogas engine [1-3]. Table 1
shows advantages and disadvantages of conversion
method for biogas engine. According to this table, high
efficiency biogas engine can be converted from
compression ignition engine. The biogas-based-diesel
helps reduce consumption of fossil fuel in operation and
reduce contribution of CO
2
to the environment [4]. In
addition, the application of high compression ratio
spark-ignition biogas-engine for power generation will
discard diesel-fuel dependence and has no soot in
emission. So, the high-compression-ratio-spark-
ignition-biogas-engine will overcome disadvantages of
current conversion technologies [5, 6]. The main
objective of this research is to develop technology to
convert diesel engine to biogas engine operating at high
compression ratio. The conversion engine will operate
at compression ratio higher than normal gas engine and
expecting to generate high performance and high
efficiency.

Conversion Engine:

In order to convert diesel to biogas engine, the
appropriate technologies are proposed to study as
follow:

- Develop gas fuel system: In order to run with biogas,
the conventional liquid fuel system is replaced by gas
fuel system. Gas fuel system is calculated to control A/F
ratio corresponding to engine load and speed.
- Design high voltage ignition system: Purified biogas
with high methane concentration has different physical
and chemical characteristics from gasoline and diesel
fuel. This leads to different combustion characteristics
such as in-cylinder pressure and rate of heat release. The
conversion biogas engine is equipped with high voltage
spark-ignition system. This special ignition system has a
spark plug, ignition coil and electronic control unit and
is designed by us for this study.
- Design and manufacture engine management system:
Engine management system is very important to control
engine with the variable of engine load and speed or the
variable of biogas composition.

A direct-injection, water-cooled, natural aspiration, 4
cylinder diesel engine is used for this research. Engine
has capacity 3, 76 litter and compression ratio 17:1. In
order to convert to spark-ignition biogas engine,
injectors of the conventional engine are replaced by
spark plugs. The position of fuel injection pump,
crankshaft and camshaft sensors is used to determine the
engine speed and control the advance ignition. The
50kVA electric generator was coupled to the engine via
rubber coupling. Figure 1 shows principle of biogas-
based-diesel engine.

Electric control biogas system, one of the most
significant systems, ensures to supply adequately biogas
for the engine. This system used a venturi mixing and
the number and size of holes biogas supply are designed
with the help of CFD software. Intake air flow rate and
biogas flow rate are determined by the differential
pressure of MAPs (Manifold Absolute Pressure).
Thermocouples NTC are used to determine the intake
air temperature and the biogas temperature to supply
accuracy signals for ECU. In addition, the system has
three stepper motors to control the intake air flow rate,
the biogas flow rate and the A/F ratio. Throttle valve (4)
controls air-fuel mixture to the engine and it was
applied to manage the engines operation stability.
Biogas valve (7) controls the biogas flow rate to ensure
the desired A/F ratio for the engine. The vacuum valve
(2) controls the intake-vacuum-pressure and it is applied
to increase the biogas flow rate to the engine when
starting and the pressure of biogas sources is low. In
addition to mechanical elements, a PID-feedback-
controller is designed to achieve the desired A/F ratio
through controlling concurrently the biogas valve and
the intake air valve.

Electric Control Direct Ignition System:

For the purpose of completely eliminating diesel fuel
and reduce soot emission, the engine used the direct
ignition system to ignite air-fuel mixture in the end of
compression period. Because, the compression ratio of
the engine still remains at 17:1 so the direct ignition
system has ability to ignite in high pressure, especially
in cold start. A direct ignition CDI-DC model was
developed to adjust the stored energy from 11,75mJ to
1.175mJ and change steplessly advanced ignition angle
from 60
0
BTDC to 15
0
ATDC. Each of cylinders has
ignition coil to create spark to ignite air-fuel mixture.
Figure 3 shows direct ignition system design and
manufacture by us.



1747 A Study of Conversion Diesel Engine to Fully Biogas Engine with Electronically Controlled
International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Vol. 05, No. 06 (01), December 2012, pp. 1745-1749
Engine Management System:

Engine management control system is designed to
collect data and control engine with the variation of
engine speed and load. Electronic control unit (ECU)
was built with input specification (table 2), output
specification (Table 3) and operation function (table 3).

The ECU was designed with processor AT89S53 of
ATMEL and dsPIC30F4011 of Microchip because of its
popularity and lower cost. Processor AT89S53 is used
to collect and monitor engine operation parameters such
as engine speed, temperature, pressure, battery voltage;
and control step motor to open operation valve, spark
ignition timing, relay and solenoid valves. Processor
dsPIC30F4011 is used to measure and calculate signal
with high frequency such as intake mass flow, biogas
flow, voltage and ampere of generator, calculating and
control A/F ratio, and spark ignition time. These
processors are connected by using SPI, which can
transfer data with speed 0,01 s (100 Hz). The purpose of
separate and using 2 processors help system operate
with high speed, real-time response and increase ability
to reduce noise.

Personal computer with human interface was used to
store data and display control real-time control data.
With active screen, people can adjust parameters while
engine is operating. Personal computer connects to ECU
by RS-232. Human interface software was built based
on LabVIEW. Operator can monitor and control A/F
ratio, spark-ignition time and engine speed. The
program permits to control engine operation follow
ECU program or by modification program from
personal computer.

Conclusions:

Conversion biogas engine can
The following conclusions are deduced from this study:

The conversion biogas engine operates with 100%
biogas. Engine run well at low load condition.
Biogas engine can operate at compression ratio 17.
The engine is expected to work at higher load
condition.
Venturi mixture, spark-ignition system and engine
management system can respond with engine load
and speed.
The conversion biogas engine does not contribute
CO
2
to the environment.
Using biogas engine could contribution for
developing rural economic and encourage local
people enhance to the issue of energy and
environmental pollution.

Acknowledgements:

I would like to thanks JICA SUPREM-HCMUT project
(project B3-12) has provided financial support to carry
out this research. Many thanks to Professor Shuichi
Torii, Kumamoto University for his valuable advice for
the project, Thanks to Mr. Vo Le Hoai Phuong and Mr.
Tran Dang Long for their valuable time in preparing
engine model.

References:

[1] Mitzlaff, Klaus Von, Engine for biogas, Deutsche
Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit
(GTZ) GmbH, 1988.
[2] DOE fundamentals handbook mechanical science -
Volume 2 of 2, U.S. Department of energy, DOE-
HDBK, Washington DC, 1993.
[3] A.Chigier, Progress in energy and combustion
science, An International Review Journal,
Pregamon, U.S., 1999.
[4] Biogas as Vehicle Fuel, Trendsetter Report No. 3,
Stockhom, October 2003.
[5] N. Mustafi, R. R. Raine and P. K. Bansal, Biogas
Fuel for Internal Combustion Engines, Department
of Mechanical Engineering, The University of
Auckland, 2006.
[6] Renewable energy in the U.S. biogas, Swidish
Trade Council, U.S., January 2008.

Table 1: Comparison of Conversion Technology for Biogas Engine

No Based Engine Conversion technology Advantage Disadvantage
1
Spark-ignition
engine
No modification
- Simple and low cost.
- Carbon neutral.
- Low engine efficiency
2
Compression
ignition engine
Reduce compression
ratio, set up ignition
system
- Complicated, high
cost.
- Carbon neutral.
- Medium engine
efficiency.
3 Using dual fuel
- Simple, low cost.
- Reduce CO
2
.
- Diesel knocking.
- Need fossil fuel for
operation.





1748
NGUYEN NGOC DUNG
International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Vol. 05, No. 06 (01), December 2012, pp. 1745-1749
Table 2: Input Signal of Electronic Control Unit

No Input Purpose
1 Camshaft sensor Determine engine speed, position of crank angle and
combustion sequence of engine
2 Intake temperature Adjustment air intake
3 Biogas temperature Adjustment biogas intake
4 Water temperature Monitor
5 Oil temperature Monitor
6 Exhaust temperature Monitor
7 Air pressure Adjustment intake air
8 Biogas pressure Adjustment biogas flow
9 Oil pressure Monitor
10 Intake flow Control A/F ratio
11 Biogas flow Control A/F ratio
12 Throttle position Control engine speed
13 Position of control valve Control A/F ratio
14 MAP Control A/F ratio
15 Battery voltage Monitor
16 Generator voltage Monitor
17 Electric ampere Monitor

Table 3: Output Signal of Electronic Control Unit

No Output Control object Purpose
1 Throttle open position Stepped motor control position Control engine speed
2 Position of control
valve
Stepped motor control valve
position
Control A/F ratio
3 Position of MAP Stepped motor control position
of absolute valve
Control A/F ratio
4 Spark-ignition time Control CDI-DC Control engine speed and other
5 Biogas valve Solenoid valve Stop biogas inlet
6 Alarm Alarm relay Alarm signal
7 Emergency stop Emergency relay Control emergency stop

Table 4: Operation Function of Electronic Control Unit

No Function No Function
1 Determine intake flow 8 Monitoring ampere and voltage from
generator
2 Determine biogas flow 9 Monitoring misfire
3 Determine engine speed 10 Alarm
4 Determine difference among cylinders 11 Emergency stop
5 Determine crank angle position 12 Control A/F ratio
6 Monitoring temperature and pressure 13 Control advance spark ignition
7 Monitoring battery voltage 14 Control engine speed

1749 A Study of Conversion Diesel Engine to Fully Biogas Engine with Electronically Controlled
International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Vol. 05, No. 06 (01), December 2012, pp. 1745-1749


Figure 1: Schematic Arrangement of Biogas-Based-Diesel Engine



Figure 2: Design of Manufacturing Biogas Generator



Figure 3: High Voltage Direct Ignition System on Conversion Engine