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Experimental study on the combustion pattern in an ammonia engine using micro diesel ignition

Author

Listed:
  • Lin, Zhelong
  • Liu, Yi
  • Chen, Qingchu
  • Sun, Qiyang
  • Zhu, Wuzhe
  • Qi, Yunliang
  • Wang, Zhi

Abstract

Using micro diesel to ignite ammonia is sufficient to provide ignition energy several orders of magnitude higher than spark ignition. In this condition, stable operation and high engine efficiency could be obtained while carbon emission is greatly reduced. This study investigated the effects of diesel injection strategies on engine performance based on a compression ignition engine with compression ratio of 23, engine load of 1.475 MPa, and ammonia energy fraction of 95 %. The results show that the single injection confines the diesel in the piston bowl, creating an inside-out (I-O) combustion pattern with intense early-stage combustion but flame quenching near the wall. Using split injection leads to a more obvious acceleration during the second-stage heat release. Reducing the amount of diesel for ignition could achieve a more reasonable combustion phase and reduce heat transfer loss. Injecting diesel into the piston bowl edge creates a combustion pattern of edge to inside & outside (E-IO), which generates a more intense combustion than the pattern of inside & outside to edge (IO-E) does. After optimization, it could be achieved that the indicated thermal efficiency is over 46 % with coefficient of variation below 2 % and greenhouse gas emission below 60 g/(kW·h).

Suggested Citation

  • Lin, Zhelong & Liu, Yi & Chen, Qingchu & Sun, Qiyang & Zhu, Wuzhe & Qi, Yunliang & Wang, Zhi, 2025. "Experimental study on the combustion pattern in an ammonia engine using micro diesel ignition," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225011223
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135480
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Sun, Qiyang & Qi, Yunliang & Lin, Zhelong & Liu, Yi & Zhu, Wuzhe & Chen, Qingchu & Peng, Yue & Wang, Zhi, 2025. "Experimental study on combustion and emission characteristics of a pure ammonia engine with spark ignition," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    3. Shi, Taifeng & Pei, Yiqiang & Zhang, Fan & Jin, Shouying & Zi, Zhenyuan & Wu, Binyang & Zhan, Qiang & Liu, Chuntao, 2026. "The hydrogen-enhanced combustion mechanism underlying the high pressure rise rate in an ammonia-diesel dual-fuel engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    4. Huang, Shuai & Wang, Ye & Li, Shiyan & Yi, Ping & Chen, Run & Wang, Xinran & Wu, Zehao & Liu, Sikai & Wang, Ning & Li, Tie, 2025. "High-pressure ammonia spray combustion in lean premixed hydrogen mixture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).

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