Implementation and Parameter Analysis of the Knock Phenomenon of a Marine Dual-Fuel Engine Based on a Two-Zone Combustion Model

Abstract

The stable working window of a dual-fuel engine is narrow, and it is prone to knock during operation. The occurrence of knock limits the load and torque output of a dual-fuel engine, and even causes engine damage in severe cases. The existing volumetric model of marine dual-fuel engine has little research on the related problems of knock simulation. In order to analyze the causes of knock phenomenon and the influence of operating parameter changes on knock, under the Matlab/Simulink simulation environment, a quasi-dimensional model was established with MAN 8L51/60DF dual-fuel engine as the prototype, and the model was calibrated using the bench data. The knock intensity index coefficient (KI) was used as the evaluation index of knock intensity. Three parameters, the intake air temperature, compression ratio, and natural gas intake, were selected as variables to simulate the engine. According to the analysis of the simulation results, the influence of the parameter changes on the occurrence of engine knock phenomenon and knock intensity could be further studied. The results showed that the combination of the KI model and the quasi-dimensional model could effectively and accurately predict the engine performance and knock trend. The change of gas inlet quality, compression ratio, and inlet temperature could promote the occurrence of detonation, the engine knock could be avoided by controlling the intake air temperature below 336 K, compression ratio not exceeding 15 or the intake volume of natural gas per cycle not exceeding 11.25 g/cycle.