LDM Compact – A Highly Efficient Method for Developing Gas Engines for Use with Low Environmental Impact Non-Natural Gas

Abstract

LDM COMPACT is a methodology, which permits the development of highly efficient combustion concepts for non-natural gas (NNG) engines without extensive testing on a multi-cylinder engine as well as tailor-made engine solutions for the special characteristics of NNG (LDM stands for LEC Development Methodology). Starting with a description of the baseline LDM, which incorporates the general approach for efficient engine development, this paper introduces the improved approach of LDM COMPACT and outlines each of the required steps, i.e., the preselection and basic design of essential engine parameters based on simulation, fundamental experiments on special test rigs, and experimental optimization of the concept on a single cylinder research engine. The fundamentals and main innovative features of the methodology are discussed. Two recent development projects (combustion of blast furnace gas and combustion of flare gases) are provided as examples of its application. In these examples, extensive use of simulation to evaluate different engine configurations permitted a significant share of optimization work to be completed in advance. The pre-optimized concepts were tested and validated on a single cylinder research engine. By applying LDM COMPACT, it was possible to develop the combustion concepts in a short amount of time and implement them into the multi-cylinder engine directly on-site.

Green Tribology for the Sustainable Engineering of the Future

“…From an engineer's perspective, as someone who tends to employ or design a green tribological system, the term green tribology has tended to be used in the context of three principal thematics: biodegradable lubricants, biomimetic surfaces and green technologies such as wind turbines or tidal electric generators, etc. [18] and [19]. However, in this way green tribology is frequently thought of in terms of isolated, or even hypothetical, solutions without a clear and feasible industrial scope, thus lacking a wideranging applicability.…”

Development of a zero-dimensional method for thermodynamic analysis and NOx calculation in the prechamber of a lean-burn gas engine

“…Test bed measurements, computer-aided analysis methods and the noticeably more frequent use of simulation tools (from zerodimensional (0D) to 3D CFD simulation) are employed in combustion concept development in order to meet stricter emission standards. 14 Combustion of lean natural gas mixtures in combination with a turbocharger in particular can be used to lower NOx emissions in the engine at high power densities. [15][16][17] Using lean natural gas mixtures, it is difficult to achieve robust and stable combustion in a large internal combustion engine with an open chamber and conventional spark ignition.…”