Transient “Single-Fuel” RCCI Operation With Customized Pistons in a Light-Duty Multicylinder Engine

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gross ◽  
Rolf D. Reitz

Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion in a light-duty multicylinder engine (MCE) over transient operating conditions using fast response exhaust unburned hydrocarbon (UHC1), nitric oxide (NO), and particulate matter (PM) measurement instruments was investigated. RCCI has demonstrated improvements in efficiency along with low NOx and PM emissions by utilizing in-cylinder fuel blending, generally using two fuels with different reactivity in order to optimize stratification. In the present work, a “single-fuel” approach for RCCI combustion using port-injected gasoline and direct-injected gasoline mixed with a small amount of the cetane improver 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN) was studied with custom designed, compression ratio (CR) of 13.75:1, pistons under transient conditions. The EHN volume percentage in the mixture for the direct-injected fuel was set at 3%. In an experimental investigation, comparisons were made to transient RCCI combustion operation with gasoline/diesel. The experiments were performed over a step load change from 1 to 4 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) at constant 1500 rev/min on a General Motors (GM) Z19DTH 1.9-L diesel engine. The transients were conducted by changing the accelerator pedal command to provide a desired torque output with a DRIVVEN engine control unit (ECU) that replaced the original Bosch ECU. All relevant engine parameters are adjusted accordingly, based on 2D-tables. Previous to the transient engine operation, four steady-state points were used to obtain performance and emission values. Engine calibration at these four points, as well as the interpolation of the intermediate points, allowed for smooth operation during the instantaneous step changes. Differences between the steady-state and transient results indicate the complexity of transient operation and show the need for additional controls to minimize undesirable effects. The steady-state points were calibrated by modifying the fuel injection strategy (actual start of injection (aSOI) timing, port-fuel injection (PFI) fraction, etc.), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and rail pressure in order to obtain predefined values for the crank-angle at 50% of total heat release (CA50). Furthermore, emission targets (HC1 < 1500 ppmC3, NO < 10 ppm, filter smoke number (FSN)<0.1 with a maximum pressure rise rate (MPRR) < 10 bar/deg) and noise level targets (<95 dB) for RCCI combustion were maintained during the calibration and mapping. The tests were performed with a closed-loop (CL) calibration by using a next-cycle (NC) controller to adjust the PFI ratio of each cycle in order to reach the steady-state CA50 values in the table. The results show that single-fuel RCCI operation can be achieved, but requires significant alteration of the operating conditions, and NOx emissions were significantly elevated for gasoline/gasoline–EHN operation. While combustion phasing could not be matched, UHC1 emissions were at a similar level as for gasoline/diesel combustion. It is expected that the implementation of different injection strategies and boosted operation, combined with use of higher compression ratio pistons in order to compensate for the lower reactivity direct injection (DI) fuel, could raise the potential for improved performance.

Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gross ◽  
Rolf D. Reitz

Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) combustion in a light-duty multi-cylinder engine over transient operating conditions using fast response exhaust UHC1, NO and PM measurement instruments was investigated. RCCI has demonstrated improvements in efficiency along with low NOx and PM emissions by utilizing in-cylinder fuel blending, generally using two fuels with different reactivity in order to optimize stratification. In the present work, a “single-fuel” approach for RCCI combustion using port-injected gasoline and direct-injected gasoline mixed with a small amount of the cetane improver 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN) was studied with custom designed, compression ratio of 13.75:1, pistons under transient conditions. The EHN volume percentage in the mixture for the direct-injected fuel was set at 3%. In an experimental investigation, comparisons were made to transient RCCI combustion operation with gasoline/diesel. The experiments were performed over a step load change from 1 to 4 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) at constant 1,500 rev/min on a General Motors Z19DTH 1.9 liter diesel engine The transients were conducted by changing the accelerator pedal command to provide a desired torque output with a DRIVVEN engine control unit (ECU) that replaced the original Bosch ECU. All relevant engine parameters are adjusted accordingly, based on 2D-tables. Previous to the transient engine operation, 4 steady-state points were used to obtain performance and emission values. Engine calibration at these 4 points, as well as the interpolation of the intermediate points, allowed for smooth operation during the instantaneous step changes. Differences between the steady-state and transient results indicate the complexity of transient operation and show the need for additional controls to minimize undesirable effects. The steady-state points were calibrated by modifying the fuel injection strategy (actual Start of Injection (aSOI) timing, port-fuel injection (PFI) fraction, etc.), EGR and rail pressure in order to obtain predefined values for the crank angle at 50% of total heat release (CA50). Furthermore, emission targets (HC1 < 1500ppmC3, NO < 10ppm, FSN < 0.1 with a maximum pressure rise rate < 10bar/deg) and noise level targets (<95dB) for RCCI combustion were maintained during the calibration and mapping. The tests were performed with a closed-loop (CL) calibration by using a next-cycle (NC) controller to adjust the PFI ratio of each cycle in order to reach the steady-state CA50 values in the table. The results show that single-fuel RCCI operation can be achieved, but requires significant alteration of the operating conditions, and NOx emissions were significantly elevated for gasoline/gasoline-EHN operation. While combustion phasing could not be matched, UHC1 emissions were at a similar level as for gasoline/diesel combustion. It is expected that the implementation of different injection strategies and boosted operation, combined with use of higher compression ratio pistons in order to compensate for the lower reactivity direct injection (DI) fuel, could raise the potential for improved performance.


Author(s):  
Seunghyup Shin ◽  
Sangyul Lee ◽  
Minjae Kim ◽  
Jihwan Park ◽  
Kyoungdoug Min

Recently, deep learning has played an important role in the rise of artificial intelligence, and its accuracy has gained recognition in various research fields. Although engine phenomena are very complicated, they can be predicted with high accuracy using deep learning because they are based on the fundamentals of physics and chemistry. In this research, models were built with deep neural networks for gasoline engine prediction. The model consists of two sub-models. The first predicts the knock occurrence, and the second predicts performance, combustion, and emissions. This includes maximum cylinder pressure, crank angle at maximum cylinder pressure, maximum pressure rise rate, and brake mean effective pressure, brake-specific fuel consumption, brake-specific nitrogen oxides, and brake-specific carbon oxide, which are representative results of the engine (for normal combustion cases without knock). Model input parameters were selected considering engine operating conditions, and physically measurable sensor values. For test cases, the accuracy of the first model for knock classification is 99.0%, and the coefficient of determination (R2) values for the second model are all above 0.99. Test times of both models were approximately 2 ms. The robustness of all the models was verified using K-fold cross-validation. A sensitivity study of accuracy, according to the amount of training utilized, was also conducted to determine how many data points are required to effectively train the deep learning model. Accordingly, a deep learning approach was applied to predict the steady-state conditions of a gasoline engine. Achieved model accuracies and robustness proved deep learning to be an effective modeling approach, and test time was recognized to be able to apply for the real-time prediction. The sensitivity analysis can be applied for the preliminary study to define the number of experimental points for the deep learning model.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Ratnak Sok ◽  
Jin Kusaka

Abstract This work analyzed measured data from a single-cylinder engine operated under gasoline direction injection homogenous charge compression ignition (GDI-HCCI) mode. The experiments were conducted at a 0.95 equivalence ratio (φ) under 0.5 MPa indicated mean effective pressure and 1500RPM. A side-mounted injector delivered primary reference fuel (octane number 90) into the combustion chamber during negative valve overlap (NVO). Advanced combustion phase CA50 were observed as a function of the start of injection (SOI) timings. Under φ=0.95, peak NVO in-cylinder pressures were lower than motoring for single and split injections, emphasizing that NVO reactions were endothermic. Zero-dimensional kinetics calculations showed classical reformate species (C3H6, C2H4, CH4) from the NVO rich mixture increased almost linearly due to SOI timings, while H2 and CO were typically low. These kinetically reformed species shortened predicted ignition delays. This work also analyzed the effects of intake pressure and single versus double pulses injections on CA50, burn duration, peak cylinder pressure, combustion noise, thermal efficiency, and emissions. Advanced SOI (single-injection) generated excessive combustion noise metrics over constraint limits, but the double-pulse injection could significantly reduce the metrics (Ringing Intensity ≤ 5 MW/m2, Maximum Pressure Rise Rate = 0.6 MPa/CA) and NOx emission. The engine's net indicated thermal efficiency reached 41% under GDI-HCCI mode against 36% under SI mode for the same operating conditions. Under GDI-HCCI mode and without spark-ignition, late fuel injection in the intake stroke could reduce NOx to a single digit.


2020 ◽  
pp. 146808742096085
Author(s):  
J Valero-Marco ◽  
B Lehrheuer ◽  
JJ López ◽  
S Pischinger

The approach of this research is to enlarge the knowledge about the methodologies to increase the maximum achievable load degree in the context of gasoline CAI engines. This work is the continuation of a previous work related to the study of the water injection effect on combustion, where this strategy was approached. The operating strategies to introduce the water and the interconnected settings were deeply analyzed in order to optimize combustion and to evaluate its potential to increase the maximum load degree when operating in CAI. During these initial tests, the engine was configured to enhance the mixture autoignition. The compression ratio was high compared to a standard gasoline engine, and suitable fuel injection strategies were selected based on previous studies from the authors to maximize the reactivity of the mixture, and get a stable CAI operation. Once water injection proved to provide encouraging results, the next step dealt in this work, was to go deeper and explore its effects when the engine configuration is more similar to a conventional gasoline engine, trying to get CAI combustion closer to production engines. This means, mainly, lower compression ratios and different fuel injection strategies, which hinders CAI operation. Finally, since all the previous works were performed at constant engine speed, the engine speed was also modified in order to see the applicability of the defined strategies to operate under CAI conditions at other operating conditions. The results obtained show that all these modifications are compatible with CAI operation: the required compression ratio can be reduced, in some cases the injection strategies can be simplified, and the increase of the engine speed leads to better conditions for CAI combustion. Thanks to the analysis of all this data, the different key parameters to manage this combustion mode are identified and shown in the paper.


1979 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Fantino ◽  
J. Frene ◽  
J. Du Parquet

The effect of the deformation of an automotive connecting-rod on the oil film characteristics are studied. The simultaneous elastic deformation and pressure distribution are obtained by iterative methods in steady-state conditions under realistic speeds and loads (5500 rpm, 25,000 N). Plane elasticity relations are used in this study. The following parameters are investigated: —bearing characteristics: bearing thickness B and bearing clearance C, —operating conditions: journal speed N and applied load W, —lubricant: viscosity μ0 and piezoviscous coefficient α. As a result of the deformation, the maximum pressure and the attitude angle are decreased and the relative eccentricity is greatly increased. The minimum oil film thickness is slightly but systematically decreased. The piezoviscosity effect is noticeable only at high loads: it increases slightly the oil film thickness and the maximum pressure. An empirical dimensional equation for the minimum oil film thickness hm is derived numerically for the bearing considered. Thus: hm∼μ0NW0.5(1+0.06108α)B0.12C0.09


Author(s):  
Eric Bermudez ◽  
Andrew McDaniel ◽  
Terrence Dickerson ◽  
Dianne Luning Prak ◽  
Len Hamilton ◽  
...  

A new hydroprocessed depolymerized cellulosic diesel (HDCD) fuel has been developed using a process which takes biomass feedstock (principally cellulosic wood) to produce a synthetic fuel that has nominally ½ cycloparaffins and ½ aromatic hydrocarbons in content. This HDCD fuel with a low cetane value (derived cetane number from the ignition quality tester, DCN = 27) was blended with naval distillate fuel (NATO symbol F-76) in various quantities and tested in order to determine how much HDCD could be blended before diesel engine operation becomes problematic. Blends of 20% HDCD (DCN = 45), 30%, 40% (DCN = 41), and 60% HDCD (DCN = 37) by volume were tested with conventional naval distillate fuel (DCN = 49). Engine start performance was evaluated with a conventional mechanically direct injected (DI) Yanmar engine and a Waukesha mechanical indirect injected (IDI) Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) diesel engine and showed that engine start times increased steadily with increasing HDCD content. Longer start times with increasing HDCD content were the result of some engine cycles with poor combustion leading to a slower rate of engine acceleration toward rated speed. A repeating sequence of alternating cycles which combust followed by a noncombustion cycle was common during engine run-up. Additionally, steady-state engine testing was also performed using both engines. HDCD has a significantly higher bulk modulus than F76 due to its very high aromatic content, and the engines showed earlier start of injection (SOI) timing with increasing HDCD content for equivalent operating conditions. Additionally, due to the lower DCN, the higher HDCD blends showed moderately longer ignition delay (IGD) with moderately shorter overall burn durations. Thus, the midcombustion metric (CA50: 50% burn duration crank angle position) was only modestly affected with increasing HDCD content. Increasing HDCD content beyond 40% leads to significantly longer start times.


Author(s):  
Alexander N. Arkhipov ◽  
Vladimir V. Karaban ◽  
Igor V. Putchkov ◽  
Guenter Filkorn ◽  
Andreas Kieninger

The evaluation of the blading clearance at the design stage is important for heavy duty gas turbine efficiency. The minimum clearance value at base load is limited by the pinch point clearance during startup and/or shutdown. Therefore, transient analysis is necessary for different operating conditions. 3D transient analysis of a whole engine is labor-intensive; however 2D axisymmetric analysis does not allow consideration of different 3D effects (e.g. twisting, bending, ovality, rotor alignment). In order to overcome these cost and time limitations, the combination of 2D, axisymmetric, whole-engine model results and the scaled deflections caused by different 3D effects is used for the axial and radial clearance engineering assessment during engine operation. The basic rotor and stator closures are taken from the transient analysis using a 2D finite element (FE) model composed of axisymmetric solid and plane stress elements. To take into account 3D effects of airfoil twisting and bending, the 3D FE displacements of the blade are included in the clearance evaluation process. The relative displacements of airfoil tip and reference point at the blade or vane hub are taken from 3D steady-state FE analyses. Then the steady-state displacements of the airfoils are scaled for transient conditions using the proposed technique. Different 3D rotor / stator effects (cold-build clearances and their tolerances, rotor position with respect to stator after assembly, casing bending, deformations of compressor and turbine vane carrier inducing of casing ovalization, exhaust gas housing movements, movements of the rotor in bearings and CVC and TVC support, etc.) are also included as a contributor to the clearances. The results of the calculations are analyzed and compared with good agreements to the clearances measured in engine testing under real operation conditions. The proposed methodology allows assessing the operating clearances between the stator and rotor during the design phase. Optimization of the running clearance is one key measure to upgrade and improve the engine performance during operating experience.


Author(s):  
Yifeng Wu ◽  
Rolf D. Reitz

Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) at engine high load operating conditions is investigated in this study. The effects of EGR and boost pressure on RCCI combustion were studied by using a multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. The model was first compared with a previous CFD model, which has been validated against steady-state experimental data of gasoline-diesel RCCI in a multi-cylinder light duty engine. An RCCI piston with a compression ratio of 15:1 was then proposed to improve the combustion and emissions at high load. The simulation results showed that 18 bar indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) could be achieved with gasoline-diesel RCCI at an EGR rate of 35 % and equivalence ratio of 0.96, while the peak pressure rise rate (PPRR) and engine combustion efficiency could both be controlled at reasonable levels. Simulations using both early and late direct-injection (DI) of diesel fuel showed that RCCI combustion at high load is very sensitive to variations of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) amount. Higher IMEP is obtained by using early diesel injection, and it is less sensitive to EGR variation compared to late diesel injection. Reduced unburned hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), soot and slightly more nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions were seen for early diesel injection. HC, CO and soot emissions were found to be more sensitive to EGR variation at late diesel injection timings. However, there was little difference in terms of peak pressure, efficiencies, PPRR and phasing under varying EGR rates. The effect of boost pressure on RCCI at high load operating conditions was also studied at different EGR rates. It was found that combustion and emissions were improved, and the sensitivity of the combustion and emission to EGR was reduced with higher boost pressures. In addition, cases with similar combustion phasing and reasonable PPRR were analyzed by using an experimentally validated GT-Power model. The results indicated that although higher IMEP was generated at higher boost pressures, the brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) was similar compared to that obtained with lower boost pressures due to higher pumping losses.


Author(s):  
Paul J. Shayler ◽  
John A. Burrows ◽  
Clive R. Tindle ◽  
Michael Murphy

Abstract Most studies of engine friction have been carried out at fully-warm operating conditions. Relatively little attention has been given to frictional losses when the engine is running cold, although these can be considerably higher and have a strong influence both on cold-start characteristics and fuel consumption during warm-up. The losses which effect the indicated load on the engine are rubbing losses and loads associated with driving auxiliaries. The equivalent frictional mean effective pressures (fmep) are generally highest during the first seconds of engine operation. These decay rapidly onto a characteristic variation which depends upon oil viscosity, and which fmep follows throughout the warm-up period. The oil viscosity can be evaluated at the bulk temperature of oil in the sump or main gallery. Breakdown motoring tests have been carried out on a series of diesel engines to examine how the friction contribution of various sub-assemblies in the engine contribute to the total and how this varies with temperature and speed. Tests were carried out using a compact cold cell and engine motoring facility. The engine was cold soaked to a target test temperature and then motored to a target speed and the variation of motoring torque recorded. Sets of tests were carried out at several stages of breaking the engine down. This enables the contributions due to the valve train, piston and big end assembly, crankshaft, fuel injection pump, and auxiliary load to be determined.


Author(s):  
Gautam Kalghatgi ◽  
Leif Hildingsson ◽  
Bengt Johansson

Much of the technology in advanced diesel engines, such as high injection pressures, is aimed at overcoming the short ignition delay of conventional diesel fuels to promote premixed combustion in order to reduce NOx and smoke. Previous work in a 2 l single-cylinder diesel engine with a compression ratio of 14 has demonstrated that gasoline fuel, because of its high ignition delay, is very beneficial for premixed compression-ignition compared with a conventional diesel fuel. We have now done similar studies in a smaller—0.537 l—single-cylinder diesel engine with a compression ratio of 15.8. The engine was run on three fuels of very different auto-ignition quality—a typical European diesel fuel with a cetane number (CN) of 56, a typical European gasoline of 95 RON and 85 MON with an estimated CN of 16 and another gasoline of 84 RON and 78 MON (estimated CN of 21). The previous results with gasoline were obtained only at 1200 rpm—here we compare the fuels also at 2000 rpm and 3000 rpm. At 1200 rpm, at low loads (∼4 bars indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP)) when smoke is negligible, NOx levels below 0.4 g/kWh can be easily attained with gasoline without using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), while this is not possible with the 56 CN European diesel. At these loads, the maximum pressure-rise rate is also significantly lower for gasoline. At 2000 rpm, with 2 bars absolute intake pressure, NOx can be reduced below 0.4 g/kW h with negligible smoke (FSN<0.1) with gasoline between 10 bars and 12 bars IMEP using sufficient EGR, while this is not possible with the diesel fuel. At 3000 rpm, with the intake pressure at 2.4 bars absolute, NOx of 0.4 g/kW h with negligible smoke was attainable with gasoline at 13 bars IMEP. Hydrocarbon and CO emissions are higher for gasoline and will require after-treatment. High peak heat release rates can be alleviated using multiple injections. Large amounts of gasoline, unlike diesel, can be injected very early in the cycle without causing heat release during the compression stroke and this enables the heat release profile to be shaped.


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