> Out of curiosity, how is the Hercules Multifuel engine different from any
>other diesel engine?
> I know what would happen if one attempted to burn gasoline in a [standard]
>diesel. It would be spectacular, if short lived...
> Since acquiring my deuce, everybody and their brother asks me how it is
>modified for multifuel use, and I haven't a clue.
> Any takers?
In general a compression ignition engine (Diesel) will burn lighter fuels as
you increase the compression ratio. I believe the LD's run something like
22 or 23 to 1 compression ratio. A normal garden variety Diesel is in the
vacinity of 16 to 1. If you've ever gotten gas in your Diesel you know that
you start loosing power and you actually stop detonating the fuel, it sounds
like the engine is missing. The injection pump on an MF engine has extra
goodies to increase fuel delivery based on fuel viscosity as energy content
drops as the fuel gets lighter (shorter carbon chains or smaller number of
carbon atoms in the molecule) as well as some lubrication issues.
The reverse of this is can you burn Diesel in a gas engine. The answer is
yes, but again compression ratio comes into play. Old spark ignition
engines routinely ran kerosene but they had compression ratios as low as
3'ish to 1. Any high than that and the heavy fuels will detonate before you
want them to, consider running low octane gas in a high compression gas
engine, knock knock. The theory of combustion in compression and spark
ignition engines are radically different.
Richard in the UK, this is your cup of tea, any comments?
je
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