Exergetic analysis of using the gaseous fuels in spark ignition engines

This paper aims to investigate the use of alternative gaseous fuels in spark ignition engines via an exergy analysis. A quasi-dimensional two-zone thermodynamic cycle model is used for this purpose. The intake and exhaust processes are computed by a simple approximation method, and the processes (that is, compression, combustion, and expansion) are simulated in detail. The turbulent flame propagation process is used for the combustion simulation. The second law of thermodynamics is applied to the cycle model to perform the exergy analysis. The exergy transfers associated with heat, work, and exhaust; the irreversibilities, thermomechanical exergy, fuel chemical exergy, and total exergy have been computed in the exergy analysis. A distribution of the fuel exergy, the energy-based (the first law) efficiency, and the exergetic (the second law) efficiency were also calculated during the exergy analysis. Thus, the effects of using natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas on the exergetic terms and the efficiencies are investigated. The results of the study show that investigated alternative gaseous fuels have affected the variations in the exergy transfers, irreversibilities, and efficiencies. The gaseous fuels are suitable from the exergy point of view because of the lessened exergy destruction rate, but they suffer from the engine performance reduction.