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This book provides an introduction to basic thermodynamic engine cycle simulations, and provides a substantial set of results. Key features includes comprehensive and detailed documentation of the mathematical foundations and solutions required for thermodynamic engine cycle simulations. The book includes a thorough presentation of results based on the second law of thermodynamics as well as results for advanced, high efficiency engines. Case studies that illustrate the use of engine cycle simulations are also provided.          

With the increased power density of internal combustion engines (ICE) and growing demands for lightweight design, the connecting rod big-end bearings are subjected to significant alternating loads. Consequently, the interference–fit interfaces become susceptible to fretting damage, which can markedly shorten engine service life and impair reliability. In the present study, the effects of the big end manufacturing process, bolt preload, and bearing bush interference fit are considered to develop a coupled lubrication–dynamic model of the connecting rod big-end bearing. This model investigates the fretting damage issue in the bearing bush of a marine diesel engine’s connecting rod big end. The results indicate that the relatively low stiffness of the big end is the primary cause of bearing bush fretting damage. Interference fit markedly affects fretting wear on the bush back, whereas the influence of bolt preload is secondary; nevertheless, a decrease in either parameter enlarges the fretting distance. Based on these findings, an optimized design scheme is proposed.

This research investigates the optimization of a dry-type alkaline HHO kit for efficient oxyhydrogen (HHO) gas production, targeting applications in small (two-wheel vehicle) internal combustion engines (ICE). Key experimental parameters were evaluated to enhance gas production and system efficiency, including voltage, electrode configuration, electrolyte type, and concentration. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was identified as a more effective electrolyte than potassium hydroxide (KOH) due to its lower electronegativity, which contributes to accelerating HHO gas production. The highest overall efficiency, 24.6%, was achieved with a 0.1M NaOH solution using stainless steel (SS) as the anode and Titanium (Ti) as the cathode, and SS paired with graphite scored 23.1%. Voltage levels positively influenced gas production, although higher potentials resulted in electrode surface oxidation and decreased efficiency. The optimum voltage range of 4.5V to 5.2V for SS with graphite and 4.2V to 5.2V for SS with Ti configurations was provided. The study concludes that the SS-Ti and SS-Graphite configurations are optimal options for HHO gas production, minimizing heat generation and energy consumption while enhancing gas output. These findings suggest significant potential for improving fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in two-wheel vehicle four-stroke gasoline engines (100cc to 150cc).

The tremendous growth in the transportation sector as a result of changes in our ways of transport and a rise in the level of prosperity was reflected directly by the intensification of energy needs. Thus, electric vehicles (EV) have been produced to minimise the energy consumption of conventional vehicles. Although the EV motor is more efficient than the internal combustion engine, the well to wheel (WTW) efficiency should be investigated in terms of determining the overall energy efficiency. In simple words, this study will try to answer the basic question – is the electric car really energy efficient compared with ICE-powered vehicles? This study investigates the WTW efficiency of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles ICEVs (gasoline, diesel), compressed natural gas vehicles (CNGV) and EVs. The results show that power plant efficiency has a significant consequence on WTW efficiency. The total WTW efficiency of gasoline ICEV ranges between 11–27 %, diesel ICEV ranges from 25 % to 37 % and CNGV ranges from 12 % to 22 %. The EV fed by a natural gas power plant shows the highest WTW efficiency which ranges from 13 % to 31 %. While the EV supplied by coal-fired and diesel power plants have approximately the same WTW efficiency ranging between 13 % to 27 % and 12 % to 25 %, respectively. If renewable energy is used, the losses will drop significantly and the overall efficiency for electric cars will be around 40–70% depending on the source and the location of the renewable energy systems.

In-cylinder pressure provides critical insights for analyzing and optimizing combustion in internal combustion engines, yet its acquisition across the full operating space requires extensive testing, while physics-based models are computationally demanding. Machine learning (ML) offers an alternative, but its application to direct reconstruction of full pressure traces remains limited. This study evaluates three strategies for reconstructing cylinder pressure under unmeasured operating conditions, establishing a machine learning-assisted framework that generates the complete pressure–crank angle (P–CA) trace. The framework treats crank angle and operating conditions as inputs and predicts either pressure directly or apparent heat release rate (HRR) as an intermediate variable, which is then integrated to reconstruct pressure. In all approaches, discrete pointwise predictions are combined to form the full P–CA curve. Direct pressure prediction achieves high accuracy for overall traces but underestimates HRR-related combustion features. Training on HRR improves combustion representation but introduces baseline shifts in reconstructed pressure. A hybrid approach, combining non-combustion pressure prediction with combustion-phase HRR-based reconstruction delivers the most robust and physically consistent results. These findings demonstrate that ML can efficiently reconstruct in-cylinder pressure at unmeasured conditions, reducing experimental requirements while supporting combustion diagnostics, calibration, and digital twin applications.

Motor vehicles are the backbone of global transport. In recent years, due to the rising costs of fossil fuels and increasing concerns about their negative impact on the natural environment, the development of low-emission power supply systems for vehicles has been observed. In order to create a stable and safe global transport system, an important issue seems to be the diversification of propulsion systems for vehicles, which can be achieved through the simultaneous development of conventional internal combustion vehicles, electric vehicles (both battery and fuel cell powered) as well as combustion hydrogen-powered vehicles. This publication presents an overview of commercial vehicles (available on the market) powered by internal combustion hydrogen engines. The work focuses on presenting the development of technology from the point of view of introducing ready-made hydrogen-powered vehicles to the market or technical solutions enabling the use of hydrogen mixtures in internal combustion engines. The study covers the history of the technology, dedicated hydrogen and bi-fuel vehicles, and vehicles with an engine powered by a mixture of conventional fuels and hydrogen. It presents basic technology parameters and solutions introduced by leading vehicle manufacturers in the vehicle market.

The quest for renewable energy sources has resulted in alternative fuels like ammonia, which offer promising carbon-free fuel for combustion engines. Ammonia has been demonstrated to be a potential fuel for decarbonizing power generator, marine, and heavy-duty transport sectors. Ammonia’s infrastructure for transportation has been established due to its widespread primary use in the agriculture sector. Ammonia has the potential to serve as a zero-carbon alternative fuel for internal combustion engines and gas turbines, given successful carbon-free synthesis and necessary modifications to legacy heat engines. While its storage characteristics surpass those of hydrogen, the intrinsic properties of ammonia pose challenges in ignition, flame propagation, and the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and nitrous oxide (N2O) during combustion in heat engines. Recent noteworthy efforts in academia and industry have been dedicated to developing innovative combustion strategies and enabling technologies for heat engines, aiming to enhance efficiency, fuel economy, and emissions. This paper provides an overview of the latest advancements in the combustion of neat or high-percentage ammonia, offering perspectives on the most promising technical solutions for gas turbines, spark ignition, and compression ignition engines.

Biodiesel, an environmentally degradable and renewable biofuel derived from organic matter, has exhibited its capacity as a viable and sustainable substitute for traditional diesel fuel. Numerous comprehensive investigations have been conducted to assess the effects of biodiesel on internal combustion engines (ICEs), with particular emphasis on diesel engine performance metrics, combustion dynamics, and emission profiles. Biodiesel demonstrates a significant decrease in emissions of particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) in diesel engines. The addition of biodiesel has shown a minor decrease in power output and a slight increase in fuel consumption and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Nevertheless, the extensive implementation of biodiesel, despite its potential to effectively reduce detrimental emissions, has encountered obstacles stemming from external influences including restricted availability of feedstock, volatile petroleum oil prices, and inadequate governmental backing. This review presents a concise summary of significant advancements in the global adoption of biodiesel from a sustainability perspective. This review provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with the advancement of sustainable biofuel technologies by synthesizing the current state of palm biodiesel and examining global trends in biodiesel implementation. The wider adoption of biodiesel can be facilitated by addressing concerns pertaining to feedstock availability, price stability, and policy support. This would allow for the realization of significant environmental advantages and contribute to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable biofuel.

The increasing demand for diesel engines in agriculture, transportation and power generation has led to the overconsumption of fossil fuels, demanding the search for sustainable alternatives. Biodiesel has emerged as the promised alternative as it offers environmental and economic benefits. This study explores the impact of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles as an additive to the biodiesel-diesel blends on diesel engine performance. Experimental investigations were conducted on four-cylinder diesel engines under varying engine speeds, load conditions, biodiesel blends and magnesium oxide concentrations. A Taguchi L 18 orthogonal array and response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for optimal brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and brake thermal efficiency (BTE). Using Taguchi paired RSM method, three input factors – Biodiesel percentage in diesel (0%, 10%, 20% v/v), engine load (25%, 50%, 75%) and MgO nanoparticles dosage of (0 g, 0.02 g, 0.04g) – were varied to assess the influence on the Brake Specific fuel consumption and Brake Thermal Efficiency. Results indicated that the addition of the MgO nanoparticles enhances combustion efficiency resulting in increase in BTE while decrease in BSFC. The maximum BTE of 23.54% was obtained at the biodiesel percentage of 12%, speed of 1200 RPM, 75% load, and 0.04g MgO. The minimum BSFC was 306.983 g/kWh was obtained at 8% biodiesel and 0.04g MgO, operating at the speed of 1200 RPM and 25% load on engine. The theoretical error in maximum BTE and minimum BSFC as compared to experimental was 1.12% and 4.6% respectively. Optimal engine performance was observed at the moderate biodiesel blends ranging between 12–16 percent with MgO at 0.04g and running between the speeds of 800–1600 RPMs. Using RSM, 7% of cost savings were obtained for the optimal cases as compared to adverse conditions in Automotive industry and 5% savings was obtained for the heavy-duty industry. These findings conclude that biodiesel blends can improve the thermal efficiency and fuel economy. The use of Taguchi L18 provides robust and low-cost procedure for the performance analysis of the diesel engine.

Diesel engines (DEs) commonly power pumps used in agricultural and grassland irrigation. However, relying on unpredictable and costly fuel sources for DEs pose’s challenges related to availability, reliability, maintenance, and lifespan. Addressing these environmental concerns, this study introduces an emulation approach for photovoltaic (PV) water pumping (WP) systems. Emulation offers a promising alternative due to financial constraints, spatial limitations, and climate dependency in full-scale systems. The proposed setup includes three key elements: a PV system emulator employing back converter control to replicate PV panel characteristics, a boost converter with an MPPT algorithm for efficient power tracking across diverse conditions, and a motor pump (MP) emulator integrating an induction motor connected to a DC generator to simulate water pump behaviors. Precise induction motor control is achieved through a controlled inverter. This work innovatively combines PV and WP emulation while optimizing system dynamics, aiming to develop a comprehensive emulator and evaluate an enhanced control algorithm. An optimized scalar control strategy regulates the water MP, demonstrated through MATLAB/Simulink simulations that highlight superior performance and responsiveness to solar irradiation variations compared to conventional MPPT techniques. Experimental validation using the dSPACE control desk DS1104 confirms the emulator’s ability to faithfully reproduce genuine solar panel characteristics.