Studies of autoignition and knock with propane as an engine fuel

✍ Scribed by N.P.W. Moore; B.N. Roy

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1959
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 752 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-2180
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-2180(59)90047-1

✦ Synopsis

The mechanism of knock for both methane and propane is considered, with particular reference to the influence of the products" of pre-flame oxidation on the knocking limit. The special problems of high temperature operation are dealt with in relation to knock-limited performance and the ability of the engine to operate using weak mixtures. Heat is added (,a) by general heating of the whole charge, and (b) by local heating of part of the charge. Combustion is characterized (i) by knock-limited compression ratio in the fired engine, and (ii) by spontaneous ignition in the motored engine. It is concluded that propane is an excellent fuel for a high speed spark ignition engine, that a wide range of power output is available by quality control, and that compression ratios up to 10 : 1 can be used without knocking. Methane was less satisfactory in the engine tested.