The Effect of Running a Diesel Engine on Diesel Fuel and Natural Gas
Location
CSU 204
Start Date
21-4-2014 1:05 PM
End Date
21-4-2014 2:05 PM
Student's Major
Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Bruce Jones
Mentor's Email Address
bruce.jones@mnsu.edu
Mentor's Department
Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
Diesel engines offer many advantages over their gasoline counterparts. Typically, diesel engines offer greater thermal efficiency which leads to lower fuel consumption rates. One of the major disadvantages of diesel engines compared to gasoline engines is the amount of soot they produce. Natural gas on the other hand burns very cleanly and currently cost less than half the price of diesel fuel. In this experiment natural gas will be burned in combination with diesel fuel in a diesel engine. The purpose of this research is to determine the fuel cost savings associated with substituting large amounts of natural gas for diesel fuel. To determine this, the fuel consumption will be measured while the engine is running on just diesel. The test will be repeated with the engine running on diesel and natural gas. Using the fuel consumption results the cost of the each test will be calculated and the savings can be found. Thus far, the engine has been set up to run on both fuels. The preliminary tests have shown that around 40-50% of the diesel fuel can be replaced by natural gas. At this time it is too early to make any conclusions about the total amount of natural gas which can be substituted for diesel fuel or the fuel savings.
The Effect of Running a Diesel Engine on Diesel Fuel and Natural Gas
CSU 204
Diesel engines offer many advantages over their gasoline counterparts. Typically, diesel engines offer greater thermal efficiency which leads to lower fuel consumption rates. One of the major disadvantages of diesel engines compared to gasoline engines is the amount of soot they produce. Natural gas on the other hand burns very cleanly and currently cost less than half the price of diesel fuel. In this experiment natural gas will be burned in combination with diesel fuel in a diesel engine. The purpose of this research is to determine the fuel cost savings associated with substituting large amounts of natural gas for diesel fuel. To determine this, the fuel consumption will be measured while the engine is running on just diesel. The test will be repeated with the engine running on diesel and natural gas. Using the fuel consumption results the cost of the each test will be calculated and the savings can be found. Thus far, the engine has been set up to run on both fuels. The preliminary tests have shown that around 40-50% of the diesel fuel can be replaced by natural gas. At this time it is too early to make any conclusions about the total amount of natural gas which can be substituted for diesel fuel or the fuel savings.
Recommended Citation
Beckman, Mitchell; Marc Monson; Ramesh Timilsina; and Blake Whittemore. "The Effect of Running a Diesel Engine on Diesel Fuel and Natural Gas." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 21, 2014.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2014/oral_session_07/1
