Modeling and Application of Catalytic Ignition in Internal Combustion Engines;Final rept. Aug 02-Dec 03

摘要

The authors progressed toward our ultimate goal of developing catalytic igniters for aqueous ethanol as a transportation fuel with three different actions. (1) Developing a test matric to compare the performance of the same passenger van converted to operating with gasoline and aqueous ethanol. The authors used a steady-state chassis dynamometer approximating urban and rural driving cycles to develop the test matrix that makes it possible to compare vehicle performance on gasoline and ethanol-water and quantify differences in performance and emissions. (2) Determining the average temperature when surface reactions occur on a heated platinum wire catalyst. The authors compared results from the study of ignition of catalyst wire temperatures over-predicted the temperatures by only three percent and indicated that axial conduction dominated heat losses. The authors modeled the terman decomposition and combustion kinetics of gas-phase 100 percent ethanol oxidation. The output was compared with flow reactor data and reasonable agreement was found. The FEA modeling indicates that thermal breaks and/or substrates with lower thermal conductivity will reduce heat losses from catalytic igniters. (3) Theoretically modeling the impact of water on the gas-phase oxidation of ethanol, which permits us to determine the optimal ignition and combustion conditions needed to reduce the formation of toxins and environmental contaminants from renewable transportation fuels.