Combustion Dynamics and Performance Optimisation Using Higher HCNG Blends for Decarbonising the Gas Genset Sector

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Air pollution is profligate becoming a serious worldwide problem with the increasing population and its subsequent demands. Diesel, Gasoline, Natural Gas, Propane, etc., are some of the traditional fuels used in the power generation sectors. Diesel fuel, popularly utilized for backup power in critical operations, is valued for its swift activation time. This makes diesel generators a preferred choice for commercial properties and hospitals requiring reliable emergency power. Moreover, natural gas, distributed through local utility grids, provides a convenient and readily available fuel source for generators, eliminating the need for on-site fuel storage. On the other hand, CPCB has instructed to modify the emission regulations for genset engines for decarbonization and development clean fuel. The change from CPCB II to CPCB IV+ standard shows the commitment of the Indian government towards environmental sustainability and COP26. Pondering to the stringent emission norms, researchers are exploring various alternate fuels. This has resulted in increased usage of hydrogen as fuel for Internal Combustion Engines (ICE). Leapfrog to hydrogen ICE will take time for the technology and infrastructure to mature, therefore Hydrogen enriched Compressed natural gas (HCNG) is an intermediate solution for de-carbonisation of ICE. HCNG blends take benefit of the unique combustion properties of hydrogen and at the same time reduce the demand for pure hydrogen. HCNG can take advantage of existing investment in natural gas infrastructure and also has much higher volumetric energy storage density than pure hydrogen. In this study, an in-use multi-cylinder NG operated CPCB II compliant Genset engine was assessed with various HCNG fuel blends. The main objective of the study was to analysis the combustion dynamics and to evaluate the effect of 25HCNG and 30HCNG on the genset engine without major modification in Hardware. The study also draws focus on the combustion parameter variations with higher HCNG blend induction in the engine. With the usage of HCNG the CO, HC pollutants reduce by around 26-46% keeping similar trend of NOx. This approach can make HCNG a probable candidate to reduce emissions from genset engines.</div></div>