Method of injecting ammonia fuel into a reciprocating engine

Abstract

A method of injection of liquid or gaseous ammonia fuel into a reciprocating engine that includes at least two cylinders, each cylinder including a piston that moves reciprocally within that cylinder, each cylinder having a head location at one end located opposite to a compression end of the piston and defining a combustion chamber therebetween, the cylinder including at least one inlet valve through which combustion gases are fed into the combustion chamber and at least one exhaust valve through which spent combustion gases egress the combustion chamber, the piston moving the cylinder in a cycle between top dead center where the piston is located closest to the head location and bottom dead center where the piston is located furthest from the head location, and including at least one fuel injector located at or in the head location, and wherein the method comprises: injecting the ammonia fuel into the combustion chamber of each cylinder as at least one fuel jet with a timing of: after the at least one exhaust valve of the respective cylinder is substantially closed; and before the respective piston moves to at most 35 degrees, preferably at most 45 degrees, prior to top dead centre.

Description

[0001] priority cross reference [0002] This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2019902137, filed 19 June 2019, the contents of which are understood to be incorporated into this specification by reference. technical field [0003] The present invention generally relates to a method of injecting ammonia fuel into a reciprocating engine. The invention has particular applicability to trunk piston and crosshead engines having both 2-stroke and 4-stroke cycles, and it will be convenient to disclose the invention hereinafter in connection with this exemplary application. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this application, but may be used with various types of reciprocating / internal combustion engines. [0004] Background of the invention [0005] The following discussion of the background of the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. It should be understood, however, tha...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0012] slower combustion due to uneven ammonia-air mixing in the combustion space;

[0013] Ammonia is added late in the compression stroke, causing this method to reduce the effectiveness of charge cooling in reducing the work of compression, thereby reducing overall thermal efficiency; and

[0014] Higher NOx due to higher local temperatures

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