Description
ABSTRACT
The modifications performed to convert a gasoline carbureted engine-generator set toabi- fuel (hydrogen/gasoline) electronic fuel-injected power unit are described. Main changes affected the gasoline and gas injectors, the injector seats on the existing inlet manifold,cam shaft and crank shaft wheels with their corresponding Hall sensors, throttle position and oil temperature sensors as well as the electronic management unit. When working on gasoline,the engine-generator set was able to provide up to 8kW of continuous electric power (10 kW peak power), whereas working on hydrogen it provided up to 5 kW of electric power at an engine speed of 3000rpm. Theair-to-fuel equivalence ratio(l)was adjusted tos toichiometric(l=1)for gasoline. In contrast, when using hydrogen the engine work edultra-lean(l=3)in the absence of connected electric load and richer as the load increased. Comparisonsofthefuelconsumptionsandpollutantemissionsrunningongasolineandhydrogen were performed at the same engine speed and electric loads between 1 and 5kW. The specificfuelconsumptionwasmuchlowerwiththeenginerunningonhydrogenthan on gasoline. At 5kW of load up to 26% of thermal efficiency was reached with hydrogen where as only 20% was achieved with the engine running on gasoline. Regarding the NOxemissions, they were low, of the order of 30 ppm for loads below 4 kW for the engine- generator set working on hydrogen. The bi-fuel engine is very reliable and the required modifications can be performed without excessive difficulties thus allowing taking advantage of the well-established existing fabrication processes of internal combustion engines looking to speed up the implementation of the energetic uses of hydrogen.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE
TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL PAGE
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 background of the project
- statement of problem
- aim and objective of the study
- significance of the study
- scope of the study
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
- Gasoline generators
- The working principle of gasoline generators
- Types of gasoline generators
- Power output of gasoline generators
- Fuel efficiency and emissions of gasoline generators
- Application of natural gas
- Bi-fuel technology
- Effect on engine performance
- Importance of bi-fuel generator
- Advantages of bi-fuel generator
- Importance of bi-fuel systems
- Uses of bi-fuel
- Review of related studies
CHAPTER THREE
- MATERIALS AND METHODS
- Introduction of the system
- Engine-generator set specifications and modifications performed
- Method used
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULT ANALYSIS
- Test facilities
- Engine management
- Injection timing
- Ignition timing
- Performance characteristic
- Tailpipe emission
- Tech-economic analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
- Conclusion And Recommendation
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The world is facing the challenge of growing energy demand with pressure on conventional energy sources which are mainly polluting fossil fuels and whose reserves are finite and diminishing (Singh and Layek 2019). These challenges and hence the need for sustainability in energy generation and use in an environmentally benign manner has created interest in bi-fuel as an alternative fuel source for internal combustion engines (Kabeyi 2020). The concern over green house gase missions and global warming has led to demand for substitution of bi-fuel in powering internal combustion engines in power generation (Ecotricity2019). With world population explosion and increased energy demand and growing pollution from gasoline, there is need to substitute petrol and diesel in powering automobiles because their exhausts account for over 60% of total atmospheric pollution (Mitzlaff2018) Bi-fuel is particularly significant because of possibility of use in internal combustion engines, which are the main power source for transport vehicles and also commonly used for powering of generators in power plants. This possibility of use is justified by bi-fuel properties,which make it convenient for internal combustion engines (Awogbemi and Sunday 2015).
Several generator applications have being adopting bi-fuel technology to address stricter diesel engine emission standards and increased operational costs. New or existing diesel-powered equipment, such as generator sets, can be retrofitted or equipped to take advantage of the lower cost and cleaner exhaust emissions that natural gas provides. The Oil & Gas industry, with the discovery of new gas fields and the utilization of fracking drilling techniques, have provided North American equipment users a ready and abundant source of natural gas fuel at competitive pricing when compared to gasoline.
There is a renewed and increasing interest in the hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines (H2ICEs). This is mainly due to the possibility of using the current manufacture infrastructure of the automotive industry and the great existing experience in H2ICEs design and in the adaptation of engines developed to operate with conventional liquid hydrocarbon fuels to run on hydrogen (White et al., 2016). H2ICEs are considered a technology with the potential to stimulate the development of the hydrogen economy. Indeed, these engines are available and very reliable, and currently much cheaper than the options based on fuel cells with electric engines (H2FCEs) both directly as well as in terms of fuel cost due to the very high purity required to the hydrogen that has to be used to feed low-temperature fuel cells (Verhelst et al., 2019). H2ICEs might be considered as a transitional technology contributing to a more rapid introduction of hydrogen in the transport sector while H2FCEs and hybrid configurations continue developing (Escalante et al., 2016). In this regard, it is very relevant the ability of properly designed and modified H2ICEs to operate in bi-fuel mode, that is, running on both gasoline and hydrogen. This feature might be essential during the transition period for a rapid introduction of hydrogen in the transport sector which is believed the driving force for the use of hydrogen as a fuel (Winter, 2019).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Energy generation is one of the major challenges facing developing countries such Nigeria. The world is facing the challenge of growing energy demand with pressure on conventional energy sources which are mainly polluting fossil fuels and whose reserves are finite and diminishing (Singh and Layek 2019, These challenges and hence the need for sustainable means of energy generation and which is also environmentally friendly. The concern over green house gase missions and global warming has led to demand for substitution of gasoline in powering internal combustion engines in transport and power generation, which is the introduction of bi-fuel generators.
Bi-fuel generators offer extended running times and significant reliability. The design of the system also makes it a more environmentally friendly choice than generators that operate on gasoline alone. In a typical setup using bi-fuel generators, approximately 75% of the fuel used is clean burning natural gas and emit far less NOx and Particulate matter than a standard gasoline generator.
Bi-fuel generators are scalable and can be incorporated within a modular power system. They allow you to operate with the perfect balance of power, reliability, energy efficiency, and eco-friendliness without sacrificing any of your operational needs. Your bi-fuel generator can be paralleled with diesel or natural gas generators without any difficulty.
Bi-fuel generators reduce the costs of storing and managing large quantities of diesel fuel. They also reduce overall emissions compared to generators running on gasoline.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The aim of this work is to carry out a research on the conversion of gasoline engine generator to bi-fuel generator.
The objectives of the study are:
- To study the process of carrying out the conversion of gasoline engine generator to bi-fuel generator.
- To investigate the performance characteristics of gasoline engine generator to bi-fuel generator.
- To make comparison on the efficiency of gasoline engine generator and bi-fuel generator
- To study the tech-economics analysis of gasoline engine generator and bi-fuel generator.
- To evaluate the tailpipe emission of the generators.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study covers the conversion of gasoline engine generator to bi-fuel generator. In this study the performance characteristics of gasoline engine generator to bi-fuel generator will be studied and the tech-economics analysis of gasoline engine generator and bi-fuel generator will also be known.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will serve as a means of knowing the advantages of bi-fuel generator over gasoline engine generator.
This study will also expose all readers of this thesis to the tech-economics of bi-fuel engine generator.
It will also serve as a means of promoting and encouraging the use of bi-fuel generator over gasoline engine generator.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION
The conversion of a commercial gasoline-fueled engine- generator set to an electronic fuel-injected generat or running on both hydrogen and gasoline has been carried out. Main modifications included the inlet manifold, low-pressure hydrogen accumulator,gasoline and hydrogen injectors,the installation of a programmable electronic control unit as well as a gas cylinder of 18l to store hydrogen at 200 bar.
The modified bi-fuel generator set running on hydrogen supplied up to 5e6kW at the no minal engine speed of 3000 rpm and lof 1.5. The specific fuel consumption was much more favorable with hydrogen resulting in consumption’s between 34 and 24%lower than running on gasoline for loads in the 1e5 kW range. The operation on hydrogen produced nitrogen oxides emissions that were 5e7 times lower than when using gasoline provided that lfor hydrogen is maintained above 2.
The adaptation of internal combustion engines, particularly the spark ignition ones to work bi-fuel (hydrogen/gasoline)is relatively easy and it is not expensive. These modified engines have great potential for speeding up the implantation of the energetic uses of hydrogen, not only for the transportation sector, but also for the distributed production of electricity. The creation and development of a hydrogen infrastructure would also be benefited. These advantages mainly arise from the fact that the well-established fabrication processes of internal combustion engines could be maintained almost unchanged. Moreover, gasoline use in bi- fuel engines could be restricted to peak power demand periods.
