Experimental based comparative exergy analysis of a multi-cylinder spark ignition engine fuelled with different gaseous (CNG, HCNG, and hydrogen) fuels

The experimental investigation was carried out on a multi-cylinder spark ignition (SI) engine fuelled with compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen blended CNG (HCNG) and hydrogen with varying load at 1500 rpm in order to perform comparative exergy analysis. The exergy analysis indicates that work exergy, heat transfer exergy and exhaust exergy were the highest with hydrogen at all loads due to its high flame temperature, low quenching distance, and high flame speed. The engine's exergy efficiency was the highest with hydrogen (34.23%), and it was about 24.23% and 24.08% with CNG and HCNG respectively at high load (20.25 kW). This indicates a higher potential of hydrogen to convert chemical energy input of fuel into heat and then power output. The exergy destruction was observed minimum with hydrogen at all loads, and it was drastically reduced at high loads. The combustion irreversibility which was calculated using species present during combustion, was the main contributor to exergy destruction, and it decreased with hydrogen. The minimum combustion irreversibility was 11.75% with hydrogen, followed by HCNG and CNG with 16.46% and 18.88% respectively at high load. The high quality of heat due to high in-cylinder temperature and low entropy generation during combustion caused by less number of chemical species in hydrogen combustion are the main reasons for lower combustion irreversibility with hydrogen. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.