The Effect of the Composition of Gas-Engine Fuels on Their Knock Characteristics

Authors

  • K.Ya. Troshin N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics RAS, Kosygina Str., 4, Moscow, Russia
  • A.A. Belyaev N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics RAS, Kosygina Str., 4, Moscow, Russia
  • A.V. Arutyunov N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics RAS, Kosygina Str., 4, Moscow, Russia
  • V.S. Arutyunov V.S. Arutyunov N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics RAS, Kosygina Str., 4, Moscow, Russia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18321/cpc24(2)109-117

Keywords:

natural gas, methane, hydrogen, methane-hydrogen mixtures, ignition delay, octane number, methane number

Abstract

The composition of gas engine fuels is the most important factor determining their motor characteristics. Air-fuel mixtures in Internal Combustion Engines ignite at temperatures below 1000 K, in which the oxidation mechanisms of the two most important components of gas fuels, methane and hydrogen, are very different from the mechanisms of their combustion at higher temperatures. These changes are associated with a change in the role of peroxide compounds in them, which leads to a complex dependence of the knock resistance of gas fuels on their composition. Despite the fact that this dependence is well described by modern kinetic mechanisms and can even be calculated based on them, the practical determination of their knock resistance causes serious problems. The currently widely used Methane Number has no theoretical basis and does not take into account significant differences in the effect of hydrogen and C2+ hydrocarbons on the ignition and combustion of methane, the main component of gaseous hydrocarbon fuels, and is therefore inadequate for assessing their knock resistance. More appropriate tools are needed for the rapid assessment of the knock resistance of gas fuels, the absence of which will hinder their practical application.

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Published

2026-07-17

How to Cite

Troshin, K., Belyaev, A., Arutyunov, A., & V.S. Arutyunov, V. A. (2026). The Effect of the Composition of Gas-Engine Fuels on Their Knock Characteristics. Combustion and Plasma Chemistry, 24(2), 109-117. https://doi.org/10.18321/cpc24(2)109-117