Comparative Analysis of HD Diesel Engine with & without Humidification at low load operation

Abstract: High fuel prices and stringent emission norms stimulate the improvement of engine efficiency and emission reductions. This is one of the leading issues in the truck industry. A waste heat recovery technology (WHR) can be used to solve this issue. The evaporative cycle represents the WHR. This thesis is part of a research project which is carried out at the department of Energy Science at Lund University. Comparative analysis of a HD Diesel Engine with and without humidification is studied in this project. The aim of the project is to reduce local emissions (NOx, HC, PM and CO) and improve fuel consumption efficiency. Humid Air Motor known as HAM is a technology originally invented in Lund University and this technology has certainly succeeded in a marine engine. The major benefit of the HAM is the sufficient reduction of the emissions, while there is no deep understanding of the efficiency process. The main idea of this project is to test the HAM concept on a heavy duty truck diesel engine. A major part of the project is to perform experimental work on a HD Volvo truck diesel engine. Also, studies on the Rankine cycle at an advanced level, simulations in the GT-Power software, making the thermodynamic model of the humidification tower etc. are also included. The goal of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of the HAM system and to compare the results with conventional diesel engines with and without EGR cooler.