Experimental Study on Combustion and Performance of a Natural Gas-Diesel Dual-Fuel Engine at Different Pilot Diesel Injection Timing

The pilot diesel injection timing (θ) significantly affects the combustion and performance of dual-fuel (DF) engines. In order to optimize the θ of a natural gas-diesel DF engine, the influence of θ on combustion, cyclic variation, and performance of a diesel engine fueled with natural gas piloted by diesel under full load at 1200 rpm was investigated. The results indicate that, with the advance in θ, the cylinder pressure, rate of pressure rise (ROPR), and heat release rate (HRR) increase first and then decrease. The mean value of peak cylinder pressure (p_max) rises and the standard deviation increases first and then decreases. The distribution of the crank angle of peak cylinder pressure (φ(p_max)) scatters and approaches the top dead center. The coefficient of variation (COV) in p_max decreases first and then increases while the COV in φ(p_max) obviously increases. The brake power increases first and then decreases while the brake specific fuel consumption (b.s.f.c.) reduces first and then rises. The CO₂ and NO_x emissions rise first and then reduce while smoke emission decreases first and then increases, but the CO and HC rise.