Flame propagation in a narrow gap between the piston and cylinder of a hydrogen engine

The processes of flame penetration and propagation in a narrow annular gap between the piston and cylinder of a hydrogen piston engine are investigated by the method of 3D mathematical modeling. The model is verified by comparing the changes in pressure and heat release rate in the cylinder obtained from an experimental hydrogen engine, considering the data collected during numerical experiments. The movement of the flame front into the gap is analyzed by changes in the instantaneous local values of the hydrogen fractions in the mixture and the local temperatures of the cold gas (unburned mixture) and combustion products. A comparative analysis of the spread of gasoline and hydrogen flames is carried out. The phenomenon of increasing heat losses in the combustion chamber of a hydrogen engine compared to a gasoline engine, previously confirmed experimentally by different authors and not yet having an acceptable theoretical interpretation, is explained by neglecting the role of heat transfer in the indicated gap.