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Operating Characteristics and Description of a Dual Fuel Engine for
Diesel-Natural Gas Heavy-Duty Operation
Copyright © 1999 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.
ABSTRACT
This paper presents a dual fuel system for
diesel-natural gas operation for a truck diesel engine,
and describes results of testing and analysis of the
operating characteristics of the engine. The research
results show that rates of fuel consumption and fuel
efficiencies are increased with this engine design, and
heat consumption decreased with increasing load on
the engine. The heat consumption rates at
medium-high loads are lower than at light loads. At full
loads, the dual fuel engine exhibits heat release in
which start combustion is reduced and the following
combustion is rapid. The engine is tested with an
electronically controlled method to meet the
requirement of engine output torque.
INTRODUCTION
Due to the limit of oil resources and air
regulations, various countries are looking for alternative
fuels with rich resources and low cost for vehicles.
Natural gas is thought to be a promising alternative fuel
because it emits lower levels of pollution. The bi-fuel or
dual fuel system is easily used in gasoline or diesel
engines with little modification. The engine with bi-fuel
or dual fuel system can not only run on gasoline or
diesel, but also on natural-gas. When there is a lack of
natural gas, the engine will automatically switch cover
to conventional fuel operation.
As operating with gasoline -natural gas bi-fuel,
gasoline engines reserve original compression ratio
and spark ignition system except for adding a natural
gas delivery system. However, many tests have shown
that the maximum power of the bi-fuel engine was lower
than original gasoline engine, a decrease of about
10-15%, due to an invariable compression ratio. The
equivalent heat consumption rate increased in a similar
way.
The case is different from the gasoline engine
for a diesel engine operating with diesel and natural
gas. Compression ratios of diesel engines generally are
greater than 16:1. So, it is possible to cause detonation
if natural gas is directly used as fuel. In practice, it is
1999-01-3523
Chengji Zuo
Hefei University of Technology
Minggao Yang
Tsinghua University
necessary to decrease the compression ratio to ensure
the engine operates normally. The advantage,
however, of high thermal efficiency for diesel engines
may be partly lost.
Therefore, how to make use of the merit of high
compression ratio is a key problem for diesel-natural
gas dual fuel engines. This paper conducted some
research in the aspect. The experiment has been done
in a diesel engine of model YC6108. The aim was to
understand the operation and performance of the dual
fuel engine and to provide a basis for control of fuels.
EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS AND METHOD
DUAL FUEL DELIVERY
The prototype diesel engine used in the paper
is a diesel engine of model YC6108 produced by Yuchai
Machinery Limited Cooperation. The specifications of
the engine are shown in Table 1. The overall
arrangement of the engine fueled with diesel -natural
gas is shown in Figure 1. The basic construction of the
prototype was not changed except for adding a
compressed natural gas (CNG) delivery system. The
CNG flows out from a high pressure tank, via throttle
valve, pressure regulator, flow meter and gas valve,
and directly enters the intake manifold. The small diesel
is still provided by the injection pump of the prototype
diesel engine.
The experimental work done in this paper was
conducted on a diesel engine bench. The control for
diesel and natural gas was manual. At conditions of
starting and idle speed the engine run was fueled with
pure diesel to ensure the engine to operate normally.
Diesel and gas were fueled to the engine under
operating conditions ranging from the maximum engine
speed to the minimum. The research purpose aimed at
the flexibility of the method of delivering fuels and
appropriate control rules for the dual fuel system.
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Table 1 Engine specifications considered the same (represented by "ηd") energy

alternative rate can be written to the following:
Engine YC6108 ηg
∅e =
No. Cylinders 6 ηd
Bore 108 mm It can be seen from the equation that "∅e" is a ratio of
Stroke 125 mm the thermal efficiency of natural gas, "ηg", to that of
Induction Naturally Aspirated diesel, "ηd". So, "∅e" is also called alternative
Compression Ratio 16 : 1 efficiency. This is a relative conception. It is obvious that
Displacement 6.87 L the thermal efficiency of natural gas will be higher than
Piston Type W
that of diesel alternated if "∅e" is greater than 1.0 at the
same conditions. Therefore, the greater the alternative
efficiency is, the higher the used degree of natural gas
energy will be.
intake manifold gas tanks
gas valve
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND ANALYSES

FEASIBLE TESTING
throttle
valve The engine was operated with pure diesel at a
dyna-mo fixed governor setting, and the load was varied by
meter varying the torque of the dynamometer to make the
injection pump
engine run stably at various speeds and loads. Next, at
the speeds given, the gas valve was increasingly
diesel engine flow meter pressure opened. Thus a part of natural gases were inhaled and
regulator burned in the cylinders.
from diesel tank

Figure 1. Overall arrangement of diesel -natural gas
delivery system
ASSESSING PARAMETERS
Mass alternative rate is defined as a ratio of the
diesel mass "md" altered by natural gas to the total
diesel mass "mdt" that the engine consumes as fueled
with pure diesel. Mass alternative rate is as follow:
md
∅m = ¡Á100 (%)
mdt
"∅m" indicates the amount of diesel altered by natural
gas as the engine operates with dual fuels. The greater
"∅m" is, the more the natural gas used be.
Energy alternative rate is defined as a ratio of
the theoretic energy of the diesel altered by natural gas
to that of the natural gas. It is given by the following
relationship
md × Hud
∅e = ¡Á100 (%)
mg × Hug
where "Hud" and "Hug" are lower heating values of
diesel and natural gas, respectively. The diesel quantity
"md" altered by natural gas is equal to the difference
that the total diesel mass "mdt" subtracts the diesel
mass as a pilot light "mdp" that the engine consumes as
fueled with dual fuels.
Because the testing conditions were the same
at pure diesel and dual fuels, the following equation can
be given:
mdt × Hud × ηddt
=1
mdp × Hud × ηddp + mg × Hug × ηg
where "ηddt", "ηddp" and "ηg" are the thermal
efficiencies of diesel as a pilot light, pure diesel and
natural gas, respectively. If "ηddt" and "ηddp" are
The results showed that the torque and power
of the engine operated with dual fuels greatly increased
as compared to those of the engine fueled with pure
diesel under same engine speeds. This meant that
natural gases entered the cylinders were ensured to
participate in combustion processes in cylinders under
the effect of using diesel as a pilot light. As a result, the
method of delivering and controlling fuels used in the
paper was feasible.
OPERATION LIMITS
Maximum gas and minimum pilot diesel
The performance of dual fuel engine is affected
by the amount of natural gas and diesel. To obtain high
mass alternative rate, the amount of pilot diesel should
be as little as possible. Too little pilot diesel, however,
should result in unstable operation of engine.
Figure 2 gave the mass alternative rate and
alternative efficiency at full loads at speeds of range
from 1200 to 2000 r/min. Under those conditions the
engine almost initiated unstable operation. It was clear
from the figure that alternative efficiencies at various
speeds have exceeded 100% and that the maximal
mass alternative rate was up to 93%. The testing has
confirmed that the dual fuel engine would exhibit
obvious detonation if higher mass alternative rate was
used. Irregular detonation and occasional burning delay
in cylinders were observed by means of a combustion
analyzer.
Figure 3 showed the equivalent specific
thermal energy consumption (E.S.T.E.C.) using two fuel
supply methods under the same conditions. It can be
seen from the figure that the E.S.T.E.C. of the dual fuel
engine obviously decreased, as compared with that of
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diesel engine, at full loads at which the dual fuel engine dual fuel engine should be returned to the operating
operated in a limit of detonation. The E.S.T.E.C. at conditions that were fueled with pure diesel considering
various speeds has been below 8.6 Mj/kW.h, the thermal efficiency.
corresponding to a level of the thermal efficiency of
above 41%. 50
alternative efficiency

(% ) 40
120

115 (%)
30
110
alternative efficiency
105 mass altertive rate
20
100 mass alternative rate

95 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800

engine speed (r/min)
90

85
Figure 4. Mass alternative rate and alternative
1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
efficiency at light loads fueled with minimum gases
engine speed (r/min)
Figure 2. Mass alternative rate and alternative
efficiency at full loads almost initiating unstable E.S.T.E.C. (Mj/kW.h)
80
operation
70 dual fuel
E.S.T.E.C. (Mj/kW.h)
diesel
60
9.6
50

9.2 diesel 40

30
8.8 dual fuel
20
1200 1600 2000 2400 2800
8.4
engine speed (r/min)
Figure 5. Equivalent specific thermal energy
8 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 consumption at light loads fueled with minimum gases
engine speed (r/min)

Figure 3. Equivalent specific thermal energy LOAD PERFORMANCE

consumption at full loads almost initiating unstable
operation
Minimum gas and enough pilot diesel
As described as above, too low of an amount of
diesel would result in irregular burning or detonation.
On the other hand, too little natural gas will cause the
misfire of the gas. Figure 4 has given mass alternative
rate and alternative efficiency at light loads at which the
dual fuel engine stably operated with minimum gas at
speeds of the range from 1200 to 2650 r/min. The
amount of pilot diesel was approximately 20% of full
loads to ensure the gas entered the cylinders to burn
normally. It was clear from the figure that alternative
efficiencies and mass alternative rates were low at
various speeds. The further testing showed that the
natural gas in the cylinders would be not ignited if the
gas flow was too small. This means that there is a limit
of lean burning for the mixture of natural gas.
Figure 5 yielded the equivalent special thermal
energy consumption at two fuel supply ways at
corresponding conditions. It can be seen that the
E.S.T.E.C. of the dual fuel engine obviously increased
as compared with that of diesel engine, The former was
approximately two times as the latter. Therefore, the
The rack lever of injection pump was set at a
fixed governor setting, about 20% of the diesel quantity
at full loads, so that the dual fuel engine can be
operated normally at any condition. At each speed,
each operation point of the engine fueled with dual
fuels was adjusted, by varying natural gas flow, to the
same point at which the engine run with pure diesel.
Through measurement for flow of diesel and natural gas
the mass alternative rate and alternative efficiency for
diesel could be computed.
The testing done in the paper referred to load
curves at various engine speeds ranged from 1200 to
2800 r/min. Figure 6, however, only gave the result of
1800 r/min due to having the same trend for load curves
at various engine speeds. The figure showed that the
mass alternative rate and alternative efficiency both
increased with increase of load. An interesting fact was
that the alternative efficiency at heavy-duty load was up
to 100% or higher. This is to say that not only the mass
alternative rate of diesel is high, but the combustion
efficiency of natural gas is higher than that of diesel if
the dual fuel engine operates at heavy-duty load.
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Figure 7 revealed that the E.S.T.E.C. of the diesel engine. So, it is difficult to actualize the curve of
engine fueled dual fuels decreased more sharply with full loads of diesel engine if the curve of power output of
the load of the engine than fueled pure diesel. At
heavy-duty loads, the value of E.S.T.E.C. of the engine
torque (N.m)
fueled dual fuel was equal to or lower than that of the
450
engine fueled pure diesel. This means that dual fuel full load
engines have excellent performance at heavy-duty
loads. 350
100%
(%)
250
110
50%

150
90
gas valve position 25%
70
50

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

50 mass alternative engine speed (r/min)
alternative efficiency the dual fuel engine is simply used.
30
Figure 8. Power output at various gas valve places
100 150 200 250 300 350 400
torque (N.m)
Figure 9. Torque output at various gas valve places
Figure 6. Mass alternative rate and alternative
efficiency at 1800 r/min vs. engine load
The trend observed in the curve of torque
output of the dual fuel engine (as shown in Figure 9) is
E .S.T .E .C . (Mj/kW.h)
also important. It determines whether the natural gas
17 delivery system needs to be regulated vs. engine
dual fuel speed. It was concluded from the chart that natural gas
15 delivery should be decreased with increase of engine
diesel speed when the speed was greater than the rated
13 speed. To meet the curve of full loads of diesel engine,
it is necessary to decrease natural gas delivery with
11 decrease of engine speed to protect from too great of a
torque output while the torque achieves full load. At high
9
power
100 150 200 250 300 350 400 120
torque (N.m)
Figure 7. Equivalent specific thermal energy full load
consumption of the engine fueled dual fuels and fueled
80 50%
pure diesel

POWER OUTPUT PERFORMANCE

40 gas valve position
Testing conditions

The rack lever of injection pump was fixed at a 0

position about 20% of the diesel quantity at full loads.
The gas valve was set 25%, 50%, 100% of this
maximum position, respectively. At given engine
speeds, the performance curve as a function of speed
could be obtained by means of varying the load of the
dynamometer. During the testing, the cylinder pressure
and exhaust smoke were measured at several points of
full loads corresponding to those of the engine fueled
with pure diesel.
Performance
The performances of the engine at various
positions of the gas valve are shown in Figures 8-9 and
the curves of full loads indicated operation conditions of
the engine fueled with pure diesel. The trend of Figure 8
showed clearly that the power output of the dual fuel
engine at various gas valve places was almost a
constant. This is considerably different from that of
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
engine speed (r/min)
speeds and heavy-duty loads, the pilot diesel delivery
should be increased with increase of engine speed to
meet the requirement for torque while the gas valve is
opened to the maximum position.
Figure 10 showed the equivalent specific
thermal energy consumption of the engine at conditions
as figure 8. At certain fixed gas valve positions, the
E.S.T.E.C. was lessened with decrease of engine
speed. Because the rack lever of the injection pump
was fixed at a position about 20% of the diesel quantity
at full load, decrease of engine speed meant increase of
load or richer mixture was needed. Therefore, the dual
fuel engine had excellent fuel consumption
characteristics at full loads or large gas valve positions,
the E.S.T.E.C. being lesser than 10 Mj/kW.h (the
thermal efficiency greater than 36%) as shown in the
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chart. Accordingly, smoke values were also low as

compared with those of diesel engine as shown in Figure 12. Peak cylinder pressure of two duel delivery
Figure 11, especially at low engine speeds. ways at full loads

E.S.T.E.C. (Mj/kW.h) maximum rate of pressure rise

20 (MPa/deg )
18 1.2
25%

16
1.0
14 50% diesel

12 0.8 dual fuel

10
100%
full load 0.6
8
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
engine speed (r/min) 1200 1600 2000 24 00 2800
engine speed (r/min)
Figure 10. Equivalent specific thermal energy
consumption of the engine at conditions as figure 8 Figure 13. Maximum rate of pressure rise for two duel
delivery ways at full loads
smoke (bosch units)
4.5 Comparison of the heat release rate of the two
diesel engines at 1800 r/min has been shown in Figure 14.
3.5 The heat release rate for the dual fuel engine appeared
dual fuel
a single-peaked curve with a latter beginning point of
2.5 heat release and lower peak value, while for the diesel
engine a double-peaked curve and higher peak value
1.5
were observed. This is explained by the characteristics
of ignition of compressed pilot diesel and combustion of
homogeneous gas-air mixtures. The diesel quantity
0.5
included in mixtures appropriate to ignite may be very
1200 1600 2 000 2400 2800 low because of a small amount of pilot diesel. This may
engine speed (r/min) result in prolonging the ignition delay period or delaying
the beginning point of heat release. On the other hand,
Figure 11. Comparison of smoke values for two duel because the diesel quantity contributing to combustible
delivery ways at full loads mixtures during the ignition delay period may also be
very small, the peak value of heat release would be
COMBUSTION limited. This is a main reason that the maximum rate of
pressure rise of the dual fuel engine was considerately
Figures 12-13 showed a comparison of peak lower than that of the diesel engine as shown in Figure
cylinder pressure and maximum rate of pressure rise for 13.
two duel delivery methods at full loads. It can be seen
from the two charts that the peak cylinder pressure of heat release (j/deg)
the dual fuel engine was slightly higher at low speeds
and lower at high speeds than that of the diesel engine.
Especially, notable was the decreased value of the
10 diesel
peak cylinder pressure at the rated speed was up to
about 1 MPa. An obvious trend was that the maximum dual fuel
rate of pressure rise of the dual fuel engine was
considerately lower than that of the diesel engine. The 5
maximum rate of the pressure rise of the dual fuel
engine has been decreased about 40%, which may
improve noise caused by combustion. 0
peak cylinder pressure
10
-50 0 50 100 150
diesel crank angle (deg.)
dual fuel Figure 14. Comparison of heat release rate of
the two engines at 1800 r/min at full load
9
After ignition of the pilot diesel, homogeneous gas-air
mixtures begin the main processes of combustion. The
processes depend on the velocity of flame propagation
8 of mixtures. From the curve of heat release, it can be

1200 1600 2000 2400 2800

engine speed (r/min)
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seen that the heat release rate of the dual fuel engine
during the medium period of combustion was always
greater than that of the diesel engine. This means there
was a higher burning rate after the top dead center for
the dual fuel engine. In addition, combustion processes
of the dual fuel engine did not appear the sign of
oscillation combustion as behaved in diesel engine.
main combustion period (deg.)
30
Figure 15 shows a comparison of the main
combustion starting point at which 10% of total fuel had
been burned for the two engines operated with different 26
fuels. From the chart, the main combustion starting
point of the dual fuel engine was postponed as engine 22
speed increased while one of the diesel engine
fluctuated at great degree. The reason may be that
there are some stochastic cases in the initial stage of 18
dual fuel
diesel combustion.
14 diesel

1200 1600 20 00 24 0 0 2800

engine speed (r/min)
Figure 16. Compared the main burning period of the
dual fuel engine with the diesel engine

ELECTRONIC CONTROL TESTING

The preceding testing results have indicated

Figure 15. Comparison of main combustion
starting point for the two engines operated with different
fuels
Figure 16 compared the main burning period, during
which burned fuels were from 10% to 90% of total fuels,
of the dual fuel engine with the diesel engine. The main
burning period of the former was obviously shorter than
the latter at various engine speeds, except for 2800
r/min. This indicated that the burning rate of the former
in main combustion processes was greater than the
latter. Under the condition of 2800 r/min, the reason that
the main burning period of the dual fuel engine was
deferred was caused by increasing the pilot diesel
quantity to achieve the same torque as diesel engine for
the gas valve had been turned to the maximum position.
Accordingly, the smoke value was also increased as
shown in Figure 11, but still lower than that of the diesel
engine.
In a word, at heavy-duty loads, the dual fuel
engine used high compression ratio, a small amount of
pilot diesel and combustion of homogenous mixtures
had the curve of heat release rate on which low peak
value and short combustion period can be obtained.
The engine had stable combustion processes, low
noise and high thermal efficiency.
that the curves of power out of the dual fuel engine are
ones of iso-power as positions of rack lever of injection
pump and gas valve were fixed. The characteristics do
not make the engine operate according to the
requirement of diesel engine at full loads. To meet the
requirement at full loads for the dual fuel engine, the
amount of diesel or natural gas must be compensated.
As the torque at any speed is greater than the full load
torque, the amount of natural gas should be decreased
to lessen output torque. As the torque at the maximum
gas valve place is lesser than the full load torque, the
amount of diesel should be increased to add output
torque.
Using the method of electronic control is
effective and convenient for the above demands. So,
this study has conducted the examination of electronic
control for diesel delivery as a feasible way. The
mechanism for controlling diesel delivery was shown in
Figure 17, which was essentially a governor with
mechanical-electronic control. The control apparatus,
which was reformed from a governor with mechanical
control, retained the centrifugal flyweight mechanism
and added an actuator consisted of linear solenoid. At
the condition of conventional operation, the governor
spring was set on the maximum engine speed position
main burning starting point (atdc deg.)
1
-1
-3
-5 dual fuel

diesel
-7

1200 1600 2 000 2 4 00 2800

engine speed (r/min)
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as overspeed protection for the engine. The electronic
control unit (ECU) directly controlled the linear solenoid.
So, the control rod of the rack was moved through the
lever mechanism in the governor. As a result, diesel
quantity was controlled.
combustion processes, low noise and high thermal
efficiency. Therefore, the engine was specially
propitious to the use in trucks.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank Zheng Liu,

Figure 17. Control mechanism for diesel delivery
Figure 18 showed experimental results for two
diesel control curves at a fixed gas valve setting of
about 45% of the maximum position. Curve 1 simulates
the diesel delivery trend at a constant rack position.
Curve 2 represents the trend for compensating diesel
quantity. It can be seen from the charts that more diesel
quantity was provided by curve 2 than by curve 1 at the
same speeds. Accordingly, the torque output was also
increased. Because the trend of diesel delivery quantity
was totally controlled by the map programmed in
advance in ECU, the control method for diesel quantity
can completely meet the requirement of high output
torque at high engine speed. Similarly, the natural gas
quantity will be compensated if the gas valve is
controlled by an other linear solenoid. That will easily
meet the requirement of high output torque at low
engine speed.
Qihao Li and Jianqiu Li (TU) for their support of this
work and technical direction; Yuchai Machinery Limited
Cooperation for their offer of prototype; the National
Scientific Fund Committee for their funding.
REFERENCES
1. Beck, N.J., Johnson, W.P., George, A.F., Pekison, P.W.,
Van der Lee, B. and Klopp, G., “Electronic Fuel Injection
for Dual Fuel Diesel-Methane," SAE Technical Paper
891652
2. Karim, G.A., Klat, S.R. and Moore, N.P.W., “Knock in
Dual-Fuel Engines," Proc. of The Institution of
Mechanical Engineers, V181, pp. 453-466.
3. Karim, G.A., Raine, R.R. and Jones, W., “An Examination
of Cyclic Variations in a Dual Fuel Engine," SAE
Technical Paper 88161
4. Karim, G.A., Jones, W. and Raine, R.R., “An Examination

CONCLUSION

Through the study in the paper, the following

conclusions were obtained:

(1) The method for the fuel delivery system and

control for diesel and natural gas used in the paper was
feasible. of the Ignition Delay Period in Dual Fuel Engines," SAE
Technical Paper 892140
(a) diesel flow 5. Chengji Zuo, "Studies on Performances of an
Electronically Controlled Diesel Engine, a Dual Fuel
Engine and Modeling of Diesel Engines," Postdoctoral
(b) torque
Figure 18. Comparison of two diesel control curves at a
fixed gas valve setting

(2) Too little diesel used in combustion would

result in irregular burning or detonation. Mass
alternative rates below 90% were considered
appropriate.
(3) Too little natural gas would cause the
misfire of the gas in cylinders and the equivalent
specific thermal energy consumption was
approximately two times as the diesel engine.
Research Report, Tsinghua University, Beijing,
(4) Alternative rate and alternative efficiency of
P.R.China, 1998
fuel were increased and equivalent heat consumption
rates decreased with increase of load. The heat
consumption rates at medium-high loads were lower
than at light loads.
(5) Due to the characteristics of iso-power
output of the dual fuel engine, actualizing the curve of
full loads of diesel engine was difficult. But using
electronic technology the requirement of full loads could
easily be met.
(6) To reduce the smoke value, it was
necessary to decrease pilot diesel delivery as much as
possible.
(7) At full loads, the dual fuel engine had stable