Study of Charging in Phase Changing Material using the Unused Heat Available in A Diesel Engine Exhaust

Abstract

Cold start of an internal combustion (IC) engine causes higher fuel consumption, increased exhaust emissions, and increased wear on engine components. At the same time, a significant percentage of fuel energy is rejected to the surroundings as waste heat through the tailpipe. This waste heat can be stored using a proper storage material for later purpose. This experimental investigation studies the charging of a phase change material (PCM) filled in a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) device which is attached to the exhaust manifold of a constant-speed, single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled diesel engine. The investigation is further extended to use the energy stored in the device for preheating the air supplied to the intake of the same test engine during cold-start conditions. For preheating the air, ambient air is passed through the LHTES and sent to the intake manifold via different control valves. The performance of the test engine, operated at different engine load conditions with preheated air supplied to the engine, is evaluated, and the results are presented in this paper.