Onderzoek naar de verbranding in waterstofverbrandingsmotoren - A Study of the Combustion in Hydrogen-Fuelled Internal Combustion Engines

摘要

Hydrogen is an attractive alternative energy carrier, which could make harmful emissions, global warming and the insecurity concerning oil supply a thing of the past. The current work examines the possibility of using hydrogen in internal combustion engines. Hydrogen engines can be introduced relatively easily, from a technological as well as from an economic point of view. This work aims to develop a model for the combustion of hydrogen in engines, which should lead to a simulation programme for the optimisation of these engines. Experiments can then be replaced or supplemented and supported by fast and cheap calculations. Experimental and numerical work on hydrogen engines is extensively studied. Combined with the findings from measurements on hydrogen engines by the author, this leads to a detailed overview of the specific features of such engines. Next, the attention is directed at the properties of hydrogen combustion in engines. This leads to a detailed study of the laminar and turbulent burning velocity of hydrogen mixtures. Published experimental data, calculations and modelling are discussed, with extra attention to the relevance for hydrogen engines. The work presents an extensive set of measurements at previously unexplored conditions, and goes into the effects of flame stretch and instabilities. As shown, these effects have far-reaching consequences for the combustion in hydrogen engines and its modelling. Finally, a model for the power cycle of hydrogen engines is constructed, with an extensive discussion and account of the sub models used. This model is validated against a set of cylinder pressure measurements demonstrating the good performance.