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Demonstration of a single/dual cylinder free-piston engine generator prototype: Milestone achieved on system stability

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Zhiyuan
  • Feng, Huihua
  • He, Hongwen
  • Jia, Boru
  • Zuo, Zhengxing
  • Liu, Chang
  • Smallbone, Andrew
  • Roskilly, Anthony Paul

Abstract

Free-piston engine generator (FPEG) is a new type of energy conversion system directly coupled with the free piston engines and linear motors, and it is expected to be the next-generation substitution to traditional internal combustion engine because its high efficiency, high volumetric power density and multi-fuel adaptability potential. However, the continuous and stable operation of FPEG is one of the biggest challenges for its large-scale application. In this paper, a complete dual-cylinder type FPEG system test bench was established to experimentally investigate the dynamic and combustion fluctuations. The results of the experiments showed that the dead centre position increased from 16.1 mm to 26.0 mm, and the peak gas pressure increased from 2.4 bar to 7.5 bar when the starting current increased from iq/iqmax = 15% to iq/iqmax = 21%. The low-pressure cold start strategy is feasible, as the experimental results showed that the ignition was achieved at the starting pressure of 4 bar. Compared with the combustion process with linear motor thrust, the operation of the system tends to be more stable, and the coefficient of variation (COV) of the peak in-cylinder gas pressure is 22.78% and 10.12%, respectively. The COV results of the top dead centre (TDC) position, compression ratio, peak in-cylinder pressure and peak in-cylinder pressure position are 0.84%, 3.33%, 2.27% and 0.84%, respectively in the single-cylinder working mode. This means that there is still a large room for the improvement of the stable operation of the FPEG system.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Zhiyuan & Feng, Huihua & He, Hongwen & Jia, Boru & Zuo, Zhengxing & Liu, Chang & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2023. "Demonstration of a single/dual cylinder free-piston engine generator prototype: Milestone achieved on system stability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:278:y:2023:i:pa:s0360544223013427
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.127948
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jia, Boru & Smallbone, Andrew & Mikalsen, Rikard & Feng, Huihua & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2017. "Disturbance analysis of a free-piston engine generator using a validated fast-response numerical model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 440-451.
    2. Zhang, Zhiyuan & Feng, Huihua & Jia, Boru & Zuo, Zhengxing & Yan, Xiaodong & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2022. "Identification and analysis on the variation sources of a dual-cylinder free piston engine generator and their influence on system operating characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    3. Mikalsen, R. & Jones, E. & Roskilly, A.P., 2010. "Predictive piston motion control in a free-piston internal combustion engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(5), pages 1722-1728, May.
    4. Hung, Nguyen Ba & Lim, Ocktaeck, 2016. "A review of free-piston linear engines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 78-97.
    5. Jia, Boru & Smallbone, Andrew & Feng, Huihua & Tian, Guohong & Zuo, Zhengxing & Roskilly, A.P., 2016. "A fast response free-piston engine generator numerical model for control applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 321-329.
    6. Xiao, Jin & Li, Qingfeng & Huang, Zhen, 2010. "Motion characteristic of a free piston linear engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(4), pages 1288-1294, April.
    7. Jung, Dongwon & Sasaki, Kosaku & Iida, Norimasa, 2017. "Effects of increased spark discharge energy and enhanced in-cylinder turbulence level on lean limits and cycle-to-cycle variations of combustion for SI engine operation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 1467-1477.
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