Numerical investigations on the effects of EGR routes on the combustion characteristics and efficiency of a heavy-duty SI methanol engine

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is one effective strategy to improve the thermal efficiency of the heavy-duty spark-ignition (SI) methanol engine. The high EGR tolerance of methanol engine raises new requirements for the EGR system. In this study, the influences of three different EGR routes, high-pressure EGR (HP-EGR), low-pressure EGR (LP-EGR), and high-low-pressure EGR (HLP-EGR) on the engine performance were studied by the one-dimensional simulation with the predictive combustion sub-model. The investigation was conducted at 1000 rpm and 1400 rpm, and 50% and 100% full load. Results show that EGR routes influence both the combustion characteristics and pumping mean effective pressure (PMEP), thus affecting the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). The EGR route with the lower internal EGR rate has a lower in-cylinder temperature at the compression stroke, a weaker knock tendency and a more advanced combustion phase. The effects of EGR routes on BSFC are more significant at the higher engine speed. The optimal BSFC of HP-EGR is lower than that of HLP-EGR and LP-EGR by up to 16.4 g/k·Wh and 21.2 g/k·Wh. Considering the engine performance at all engine operating conditions, HP-EGR is the optimal EGR route while LP-EGR is the worst one for the heavy-duty SI methanol engine.