The use of alternative fuels in future gas engines is becoming increasingly relevant to ensure flexible operating times and power generation with low emissions that are adapted to demand. With the help of low-emission lean combustion, even with fluctuating gas compositions, the increasingly stringent emission regulations should also be complied with in the future.

The ITV is therefore investigating the ignition characteristics and burn-through in the combustion chamber of different alternative fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia and biogas, as they arise in various production processes. The flow conditions and flame propagation are analysed on an optically accessible single-cylinder engine using high-speed camera images from the combustion chamber. This allows the comparison of different ignition methods and geometries. Together with the findings from the thermodynamic single-cylinder engine, on which stationary tests are carried out in a thermally steady state, 1D and 3D simulations can be validated.