Thermodynamic and Environmental Impact Assessment of NH3 Diesel-Fueled Locomotive Configurations for Clean Rail Transportation

摘要

Ammonia (NH3) is considered as a combustion fuel, hydrogen carrier, and heat-recovery and working fluid within locomotive propulsion-system configurations. Thermodynamic and environmental analyses and assessments are conducted for a modern two-stroke diesel-fueled locomotive and the proposed NH3 configurations. The present study proposes and comparatively assesses the potential long-term solutions for sustainable, clean rail transportation. The diesel locomotive is considered as the baseline system, with energetic and exergetic efficiencies of 33 and 31%. The two alternative configurations-NH3 diesel-fueled locomotive, and with the integration of onboard H 2 fuel production-have energetic utilization efficiencies of 34.3 and 35.7%, and exergetic utilization efficiencies of 31.4 and 32.6%, respectively. The air-contaminant emissions are evaluated based on diesel fuel reduction, and reduction by selective catalytic reduction using NH3. The greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by up to 53%. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.