Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

College/Unit

Statler College of Engineering and Mining Resources

Department/Program/Center

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

An Oscillating Linear Engine Alternator (OLEA) has the potential to overcome the thermal, mechanical, and combustion inadequacies encountered by the conventional slider-crank engines. The linear engines convert the reciprocating piston motion into electricity, thereby eliminating needless crankshaft linkages and rotational motion. As the dead center positions are not explicitly identified unlike crankshaft engines, the linear engine exhibits different stroke and compression ratio every cycle and should manage the unfavorable events like misfire, rapid load changes, and overfueling without the energy storage of a flywheel. Further, the apparatus control and management strategy is difficult for OLEA when compared to conventional engines and depends on the combustion event influencing the translator dynamics. In this research paper, the MATLAB��/Simulink numerical model of a single cylinder, mechanical spring assisted, 2-stroke natural gas fueled, spark-ignited OLEA was investigated to enhance the perception of the coupled system. The effect of combustion and heat transfer characteristics on translator dynamics and performance of OLEA were analyzed by using Wiebe form factors, combustion duration, and heat transfer correlations. Variation in the Wiebe form factors revealed interesting insights into the translator dynamics and in-cylinder thermodynamics of a coupled system. High translator velocity, acceleration, and higher heat transfer rate were favored by low combustion duration.

Source Citation

Bade, M., Clark, N. N., Robinson, M. C., & Famouri, P. (2018). Parametric Investigation of Combustion and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Oscillating Linear Engine Alternator. Journal of Combustion, 2018, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2907572

Comments

Copyright © 2018 Mehar Bade et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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