Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering Okayama University of Science

HomeResearchPower and Combustion (Engine Systems) Laboratory

Power and Combustion (Engine Systems) Laboratory (Associate Prof. Chihiro Kondo)

Study on the combustion in engine systems and method of production and optimal usage of alternative fuels for vehicles and electricity generators

The engine is an essential piece of machinery that is used in vehicles, electricity generators, ships, and so on. However, fossil fuels are limited in their amount and engines exhaust carbon dioxide from the burning of hydrocarbon-based fuels, which is treated as a cause of global warming. Therefore, in order to deal with these problems, an alternative fuel is proposed that is comparable to fossil fuel in terms of fuel properties such as ignitability, calorific value, cold flow properties and oxidation, but which is environmentally friendly. In this laboratory, a study is conducted on the production and optimal usage of alternative fuels such as biofuel (e.g., biodiesel), gaseous fuel, and so on. Combustion technology for engine systems for low fuel consumption rate using natural gas and hydrogen is also studied.