Methodological Guidelines and Experimental Validation of a Zero-Dimensional Hydrogen Combustion Model in Spark-Ignition Engines

¹ Energy Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
³ Centre for Alternative Energy Research and Development, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
⁴ Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

This study develops a calibration and validation approach for a zero-dimensional (0-D) combustion model in spark-ignition engines using ANSYS CHEMKIN-Pro 2025R1. The model simulates hydrogen-fueled engine performance under realistic operating conditions, providing a computationally efficient alternative to three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The model employs the Wiebe function for describing combustion rates and the Woschni correlation for handling heat transfer. A novel Equivalent Overall Heat Transfer (EOHT) concept is introduced to account for combined heat losses through convection, radiation, and cooling systems. Using experimental data from Santiago Molina as a reference, the model was calibrated across excess air ratios (λ) from 1.6 to 2.8. The optimized model demonstrated strong agreement with the experiments for in-cylinder pressure, heat release rate, NOx emissions, IMEP, and combustion duration. Results demonstrate that this 0-D model achieves CFD-comparable accuracy for future hydrogen-ammonia blended fuel combustion modeling with substantially reduced computational costs.