@article{vinod_gore_fang_2024, title={Experimental Combustion and Flame Characterization of a Chemical Looping-Based Oxidative Dehydrogenation Byproduct Fuel Mixture Containing High CO<sub>2</sub> Dilution}, volume={146}, ISSN={["1528-8994"]}, DOI={10.1115/1.4065402}, abstractNote={Abstract This study investigates the combustion performance of CO2 rich fuel mixtures containing ethane and methane as active species using a constant volume combustion chamber. This fuel is obtained as byproducts of a chemical looping based oxidative dehydrogenation (Cl-ODH) process ethylene production. The byproduct gas mixture has 40.79% CO2, 39.49% ethane, and 4.88% methane by weight with other minor compounds. After initial combustion modelling, the gas fuel mixture was reduced to just the major species: CO2, ethane, and methane. The mixture was then tested for flammability limits and combustion performance under spark-ignition conditions. Effects of ambient conditions and stoichiometry like temperatures between 300 to 400 K with initial pressures from 1 to 10 bar were tested. The fuel mixture showed an overall reduced flame velocity compared to gasoline. Instability in combustion was believed to be caused by the dissociation of ethane under elevated conditions. At higher pressures, the flame produces lower cumulative heat release. Simulations were also performed using a model tuned to replicate the operations of the combustion chamber used in the experiments. Heat release and unburnt fuel mass data were calculated to identify the discrepancies in the combustion completeness at elevated pressures. The effects of CO2 quenching the flame coupled with the increased dissociation of the fuel species can lead to up to more than 75% of the fuel mixture being unburnt. Data from this study was used to modify a small-scale spark-ignition engine to use this fuel and produce usable energy.}, number={8}, journal={JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME}, author={Vinod, Kaushik Nonavinakere and Gore, Matt and Fang, Tiegang}, year={2024}, month={Aug} }
 @article{vinod_gore_liu_fang_2023, title={Experimental characterization of ammonia, methane, and gasoline fuel mixtures in small scale spark ignited engines}, volume={16}, ISSN={["2666-352X"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaecs.2023.100205}, DOI={10.1016/j.jaecs.2023.100205}, abstractNote={In this study, gaseous anhydrous ammonia is blended with fuels like gasoline and methane and tested in an instrumented, low-technology single cylinder carbureted engine. In-cylinder pressure and emissions are monitored with the various mixtures and their performance is then compared with pure gasoline. With the addition of ammonia, the stability of combustion inside the combustion chamber was affected. But with the addition of a combustion modifier, the overall variability was reduced. At higher substitutions of ammonia, Initial results show an increase in indicated thermal efficiency of the engine. There is also a substantial decrease in the heat release rate (HRR) of the engine when substituting gasoline with ammonia. With the addition of methane, the change in the fuel reactivity helped improve HRR. Increasing ammonia substitution also resulted in an increase in indicated efficiency when compared to pure gasoline by approximately 12% with 50% substitution of ammonia in gasoline. Adding ammonia to the fuel mixtures also showed an initial reduction in unburnt hydrocarbon emission, followed by a sudden increase with further increasing concentration, suggesting incomplete combustion of the fuel mixture. The addition of methane with gasoline also showed a reduction in overall NOx emissions. Furthermore, methane was also tested as the main fuel with ammonia substitution of up to 50%. This ammonia and methane blend also showed comparable results to the gasoline, ammonia, and methane blends tested. From the emissions data, the catalyzing effects of ammonia were also seen with some cases showing varying trends with increasing ammonia substitution. Results from this study can be used to design small-scale engine based power generation systems that need very little modifications to accept ammonia based mixed fuels. Furthermore, this study lays the groundwork for using fuels blends with methane sourced using carbon neutral technologies and ammonia to power engine based systems.}, journal={APPLICATIONS IN ENERGY AND COMBUSTION SCIENCE}, author={Vinod, Kaushik Nonavinakere and Gore, Matt and Liu, Hanzhang and Fang, Tiegang}, year={2023}, month={Dec} }
 @article{gore_vinod_fang_2023, title={Experimental Investigation of Gaseous Mixtures of Ethane, Methane, and Carbon Dioxide as an Alternative to Conventional Fuel in Spark Ignition Engines}, volume={145}, ISSN={["1528-8994"]}, DOI={10.1115/1.4055201}, abstractNote={Abstract
               This study investigates the viability and performance of certain synthetic fuels in spark ignition internal combustion engine based stationary power generation wherein the fuel comprises a mixture of methane and ethane in high dilutions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The fuel of concern is a byproduct of a novel method for producing ethylene from ethane. The byproduct gas mixture has a concentration of approximately 41% CO2, 40% ethane, and 5% methane by weight along with other minor compounds. Varying mixtures of ethane and methane combined with between 42% and 46% by weight CO2 were used to evaluate the viability and efficiency of this fuel to operate in existing internal combustion engines as a means of reducing emissions and increasing industrial process efficiency. A 13 hp gasoline generator was repurposed as a test stand by incorporating a modified fuel induction system and instrumentation for data collection. A gas metering and mixing system was installed to precisely control the mass flow of gases induced into the engine. Various instrumentations were installed to monitor in-cylinder pressure, temperature at various locations, emissions, and fuel and airflow rates. Varying fuel mixtures and loads were tested and compared to gasoline. It was found that under a high load, the mixed gas was able to generate comparable thermal efficiency and power to gasoline. But under no load or a part load condition the indicated thermal efficiency was found to be about 21% lower than that of gasoline. Further, the mixed gas also resulted in up to 50% reduction in CO and NOx emissions when compared to gasoline.}, number={3}, journal={JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME}, author={Gore, Matthew and Vinod, Kaushik Nonavinakere and Fang, Tiegang}, year={2023}, month={Mar} }