Study on the Effects of EGR and Spark Timing on the Combustion, Performance, and Emissions of a Stoichiometric Natural Gas Engine

This paper involved conducting an experimental investigation on the effects of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and spark timing on the combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of a China-VI heavy-duty, natural gas engine fueled with high-methane content. The results showed that increasing the EGR rate extends the spark timing range and slows the combustion. This then increases ignition delay, prolongs combustion duration, and decreases heat release rate. Peak in-cylinder pressure (PCP) and indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) initially increase because of higher boost pressure with increasing EGR rate. However, as EGR rate increases further, PCP and ITE begin to decrease because of the deviation of combustion phasing. Lower in-cylinder temperature caused by higher EGR rate may cause nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to reduce significantly, while total hydrocarbon (THC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions increase, and THC emissions could increase exponentially at high EGR rates. In-cylinder pressure, temperature, and heat release rate increase with early spark timing, but the rate of increase is reduced at higher engine speeds. Early spark timing causes THC and CO emissions to increase at part-load conditions, whereas there is little change at full-load conditions. NOx emissions also increase with early spark timing because of the higher in-cylinder temperature.