This
paper involved conducting an experimental investigation on the effects of exhaust
gas recirculation (EGR) and spark timing on the combustion, performance,
and emission characteristics of a China-VI heavy-duty, natural gas
engine fueled with high-methane content. The results showed that increasing
the EGR rate extends the spark timing range and slows the combustion.
This then increases ignition delay, prolongs combustion duration,
and decreases heat release rate. Peak in-cylinder pressure (PCP) and
indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) initially increase because of higher
boost pressure with increasing EGR rate. However, as EGR rate increases
further, PCP and ITE begin to decrease because of the deviation of
combustion phasing. Lower in-cylinder temperature caused by higher
EGR rate may cause nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to reduce significantly,
while total hydrocarbon (THC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions increase,
and THC emissions could increase exponentially at high EGR rates.
In-cylinder pressure, temperature, and heat release rate increase
with early spark timing, but the rate of increase is reduced at higher
engine speeds. Early spark timing causes THC and CO emissions to increase
at part-load conditions, whereas there is little change at full-load
conditions. NOx emissions also increase with early spark timing because
of the higher in-cylinder temperature.