Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Laser-ignition of Wet Ethanol with Elevated Water Content

Year 2019, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 61 - 69, 20.09.2019

Kazi Mostafijur Rahman Nobuyuki Kawahara Eiji Tomita

https://doi.org/10.18245/ijaet.567266

Abstract

Higher production cost of anhydrous ethanol associated with distillation
and dehydration process could be reduced through the direct use of wet/hydrous
ethanol in engine applications. In this study, both experimental investigation
and numerical analysis were carried out to quantify the effect of water content
on laser ignition characteristics of premixed charge of wet ethanol with
different water concentration and over a range of equivalence ratios.
Combustion of wet ethanol was initiated through laser-induced breakdown from a
Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. A high-speed camera is used to visualize the ignition
event and flame propagation. Results demonstrated that, presence of water in
ethanol up to 20% by volume accelerated the initial combustion reactions and
led to faster burning. Adverse effects of elevated water concentration in
ethanol at and beyond 30% (v/v), are more pronounced in fuel lean combustion
region compared with fuel rich combustion. Laser-induced breakdown
spectroscopic (LIBS) measurements revealed that, plasma temperature slightly
increased with added water in ethanol up to 20% (v/v) as water in ethanol
results in enhanced ionization of the gas mixture during laser breakdown, which
leads to more intense absorption of laser energy. Therefore, this study
demonstrates the potential of direct use of wet ethanol as an attractive fuel
for IC engine.

Keywords

Laser-ignition, Wet Ethanol, Plasma Temperature

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