Investigation of running behaviors of an LPG SI engine with oxygen-enriched air during start/warm-up and hot idling

This paper experimentally investigates the effects of oxygen-enriched air (OEA) on the running behaviors of an LPG Sl engine during both start/warm-up (SW) and hot idling (HI) stages. The experiments were performed on an air-cooled, single-cylinder, 4-stroke, LPG SI engine with an electronic fuel injection system and an electrically-heated oxygen sensor. OEA containing 23% and 25% oxygen (by volume) was supplied for the experiments. The throttle position was fixed at that of idle condition. A fueling strategy was used as following: the fuel injection pulse width (FIIPW) in the first cycle of injection was set 5.05 ins, and 2.6 ms in the subsequent cycles till the achieving of closed-loop control. In closed-loop mode, the FIPW was adjusted by the ECU in terms of the oxygen sensor feedback. Instantaneous engine speed, cylinder pressure, engine-out time-resolved HC, CO and NOx emissions and excess air coefficient (EAC) were measured and compared to the intake air baseline (ambient air, 21 % oxygen). The results show that during SW stage, with the increase in the oxygen concentration in the intake air, the EAC of the mixture is much closer to the stoichiometric one and more oxygen is made available for oxidation, which results in evidently-improved combustion. The ignition in the first firing cycle starts earlier and peak pressure and maximum heat release rate both notably increase. The maximum engine speed is elevated and HC and CO emissions are reduced considerably. The percent reductions in HC emissions are about 48% and 68% in CO emissions about 52% and 78%; with 23% and 25% OEA, respectively, compared to ambient air. During HI stage, with OEA, the fuel amount per cycle increases due to closed-loop control, the engine speed rises, and speed stability is improved. The HC emissions notably decrease: about 60% and 80% with 23% and 25% OEA, respectively, compared to ambient air. The CO emissions remain at the same low level as with ambient air. During both SW and HI stages, intake air oxygen enrichment causes the delay of spark timing and the increased NOx emissions.