Decelerating catalyst aging of natural gas engines using organic Rankine cycle under road conditions

Chongyao Wang; Xin Wang; Yunshan Ge; Yonghong Xu; Lijun Hao; Jianwei Tan; Ruonan Li; Miao Wen; Yachao Wang

Heliyon (Jun 2024)

Decelerating catalyst aging of natural gas engines using organic Rankine cycle under road conditions

Chongyao Wang,
Xin Wang,
Yunshan Ge,
Yonghong Xu,
Lijun Hao,
Jianwei Tan,
Ruonan Li,
Miao Wen,
Yachao Wang

Affiliations

Chongyao Wang: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China
Xin Wang: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China; Corresponding author.
Yunshan Ge: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China
Yonghong Xu: Mechanical Electrical Engineering School, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Xiaoying east road No.12, 100192 Beijing, China
Lijun Hao: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China
Jianwei Tan: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China
Ruonan Li: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China
Miao Wen: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China
Yachao Wang: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street No.5, 100081 Beijing, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 12
p. e33067

Abstract

Read online

High exhaust temperature is an intrinsic nature of natural gas engines which underlies power de-rating and thermal aging of after-treatment system; therefore, this study integrates an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system between engine and it's three-way catalyst (TWC) to address these challenges. ORC facilitates power output enhancement through exhaust energy recovery and alleviates thermal aging by reducing exhaust temperature. To estimate the effectiveness of this hypothesized system, a simulation-based investigation is performed. First, simulation models, including engine, TWC, and vehicle dynamic models, are built and validated by experimental data. According to the temperature characteristics of different TWCs, three scenarios, representing old, current, and prospective TWC technology, are formulated to estimate the ORC performance under Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Cycle. Results show that ORC system can substantially alleviate the thermal damage caused by high exhaust temperature and extend TWC lifespan. It is estimated that over 98.5 % of thermal damage can be decreased by proper ORC setting, and the average TWC lifespan extension can be at least 55.4, making a reduced noble metal usage and cost of TWC. Meanwhile, with the decrease of the working temperature of TWC, ORC can recover exhaust energy under more road conditions, further improving the net power and shortening the payback period of extra ORC hardware costs. A reduction in the working temperature of TWC from 770.5 K to 618 K yields a 109 % enhancement in maximum power, coupled with a 62.30 % reduction in the payback period. These findings fully reflect the advantage of ORC-TWC coupling and indicate that ORC is supposed to be used more for the TWC with a low working temperature to maximize economic effectiveness. This study provides a novel pathway for thermal aging alleviation of TWC and a valuable reference for prospective studies on matching ORC with TWC under road conditions.

Published in Heliyon

ISSN: 2405-8440 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Science (General); Social Sciences: Social sciences (General)
Website: https://www.cell.com/heliyon/home

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords