Alternative Fuel Laboratory
The alternative fuel research laboratory is focused on the performance evaluation of internal combustion engines using alternative gaseous fuels and associated mixtures. The effect of various operating parameters, such as fuel compositions, pressure, temperature, spark timing, on performance, efficiency and operational limits is investigated through experimental and analytical modeling and simulation techniques. Another area of interest is the investigation on the knock phenomena and cyclic variation while using alternatives fuels and their mixtures and modeling these phenomena using high-end software and detailed chemical kinetics.
The laboratory is also an integral part of undergraduate laboratory experiment for the courses such as ME 4680 Engine Design and ME 3670 Internal Combustion Engine.
The following experiments are conducted in this laboratory to enhance the undergraduate teaching:
- Fuel combustion rate analysis using in-cylinder trace diagrams.
- Effect of various operating parameters in the fuel burning rate.
- Investigation of fuel composition effects.
Ongoing graduate and undergraduate research in the laboratory include the following:
- Landfill gas combustion in internal combustion engines.
- Biogas combustion in internal combustion engines.
- Knocking and its suppression.
- Chemical kinetic modeling and simulation.
- Natural gas combustion in internal combustion engines.
- Hydrogen combustion as an additive or fuel for internal combustion engines.