At the University of Gent several projects have been carried out on alternative fuels. A diesel engine has been modified for gas applications, and runs on natural gas or hydrogen. A gasoline engine has been adapted with a multi-point liquid LPG fuel injection system. The paper deals with the measured engine characteristics and gives a comparison of the power output, the effective fuel consumption and the exhaust gas emissions. The influences of certain parameters are considered. In each engine a high pressure transducer is installed and the pressure-time history in the combustion chamber is stored. From these measurements heat release analyses are made. Considerations are given on the behaviour of the heat release for the different fuels to a better understanding of the combustion process and to examine the influences on the flame propagation speed. (A)
Samenvatting